P213 CEEFA( 213 Mon 13 Oct 21:07/33 1/2 The Government has defended its conduct over the Westland affair and proposed new instructions to civil servants giving evidence to select committees. The Govjrnmjnt was responding to a report carried out bz the Commons select committee on defence. Its response said civil servants should not answer questions which call into question their own conduct or the conduct of other civil servants. It says a select committee is not a suitable place for inquiring into the conduct of individual civil servants. News index 102/202 MoreP213 CEEFAX 213 Mon 13 Oct 21:16/14 2/2 BACKGROUND ] The Commons select committee on defence carried out an inruiry into the Westland affair earlier this year. The inquiry followed the resignation of two Cabinet ministers - Mr Leon Brittan and Mr Michael Hesjltinj. The Government's response defends Civil Service head Sir Robert Armstrong and does not agree that Sir Robert failed to give a clear example and lead. It also says that if a committee is not satisfied with the way a minister has answered it should not insist on calling a civil servant. News index 102/202 MoreP213 CJJFAX 213 Mon 13 Oct 21:12/47 ] 2/2 BACKGROUND ] A Labour MP has attacked the Govjrnmjnt proposal over evidence given bz civil servants to select committees. Dr John Gilbert said the proposal that civil servants should not answer questions on their own conduct appeared to bj a new constitutional doctrine. Dr Gilbert, the senior Labour MP on the Commons select committee on defence, said that if a select committee could not ask such questions, who could? He is to raise the issue with other committee mjmbjrs on Wjdnjsday. News index 102/202 More