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British lawmakers to examine gov't restrictions on pro-Brexit ministers

Xinhua, February 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Britain's top civil servant will have to face a grilling by a group of members of the Parliament (MPs) over why pro-Brexit ministers will be prevented from seeing certain government documents, local media reported Sunday.

British Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Haywood, also head of the civil service, has been called by the Parliament's Public Administration Select Committee to explain the government's restrictive plans, the committee announced Sunday.

Heywood is due to attend an oral evidence session on EU Referendum with the committee on Tuesday.

Last week, Heywood issued new guidance banning ministers who oppose EU membership from obtaining official documents and related materials ahead of the referendum.

The British government's official position is that Britain should stay in a reformed EU, and civil servants were not allowed to support pro-leave ministers.

The guidance sparked controversy among government ministers, and was accused by Eurosceptics of "double standards" and unfairness.

Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee of the Conservative MPs, said the restrictions would raise "difficult questions."

"It is important that ministers are not blindsided by new directives coming from the EU in the pre-referendum period," he said.

Chris Grayling, the leader of the House of Commons, also warned the government to be "careful" about spending large amounts of public money on one side of the EU referendum debate.

However, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Sunday defended the restrictive measures on pro-Brexit ministers, saying that the government was not neutral in the debate.

"Whitehall civil servants and Whitehall papers are produced in support of the government's position on an issue," he said.

"Now, those ministers who want to argue another case are being allowed to do so but the civil service can't support them in doing that," added the foreign secretary.

Britain will hold a referendum on whether to remain in the EU on June 23. Enditem