A Cabinet shuffle is on the cards before the House of Assembly meets in November, according to Premier David Saul.

And the Premier declared he intended to be at the helm of the new-look team.

He scotched reports Government backbencher John Irving Pearman was waiting in the wings to take over the leadership.

"I can state he is not challenging me for the leadership. I'm here and I'm here for the long run.'' Dr. Saul said he had held talks with Mr. Pearman over the veteran MP's future in Government.

"At this stage he is going to run at the next election. He is not going to say he is not. He is a firm supporter of my leadership.'' Said Mr. Pearman: "I have given an assurance I won't walk over to the Progressive Labour Party or do anything which might make the healing process of the UBP more difficult. Far from challenging Dr. Saul's leadership, I endorse it.'' Asked whether he would resign his Warwick East seat, he replied: "That is an unknown quantity.

"We have an extended family in my household, The Royal Gazette has said I'm too old at 69, and at this point in my life I have to give that some consideration.

"In the interim I'm here in Government. You won't see me going across to the PLP.'' Dr. Saul announced the Cabinet reshuffle after admitting that former Premier Sir John Sharpe was correct in saying Government could lose the electorate's support unless it became unified.

In The Royal Gazette on Friday, Sir John said it was difficult to see how unity within the UBP ranks could be achieved under the current circumstances.

But in an interview on Friday, Dr. Saul said he had "lots of thoughts'' on how to re-unify Government which has been badly split on a series of votes.

He declined to elaborate on those thoughts but added: "Sir John is quite right. Before the next Parliamentary session we have to have firm confirmation from everyone that we will be acting in concert.'' The UBP is suffering what appears to be a three-way split with the "People's Five'' camp, a group supporting Sir John Swan and Maxwell Burgess and the Cabinet.

In the last Parliamentary session, Government was twice stymied on Base land acts -- although both were passed when re-introduced in Parliament.

But Dr. Saul also saw the Prohibited Restaurant Act go through the House of Assembly, which would have stopped Sir John Swan's and Mr. Burgess' McDonald's franchise had the Senate not defeated it. A motion of censure against him also passed although Dr. Saul has maintained that has little bearing on his Premiership.

All the defeats came when the "Five'' -- UBP backbenchers Ann Cartwright DeCouto, Cabinet shuffle possible Jim Woolridge, Dr. Clarence Terceira, Trevor Moniz and Dr. David Dyer -- voted against the Government.

"We must, when we go to Parliament, be unified otherwise the population will lose faith in us,'' added Dr. Saul.

"I will be having a lot of dialogue with my colleagues over this summer's recess to make sure we have no repetitions where Government members do not vote with the Government.'' The House finished its business last Tuesday morning and will not now meet again until November.

Dr. Saul added: "One does not always carry on with the same Cabinet. There will probably be a reshuffle before the House goes back for its next session.

But that will be subject to all the talks I will be having.'' On the report of a possible leadership bid by Mr. Pearman, Dr. Saul said: "I've been talking to him about it and we both laughed about it. There is nothing to it.

"We had a frank discussion prior to the censure motion and I told him to keep his options open about not running. I said I `want you to run in the next election'.'' Late last month, it emerged the PLP had invited Mr. Pearman and two other UBP MPs to cross the floor of the House.

In a Royal Gazette article, Mr. Pearman was also critical of Dr. Saul's handling of "The People's Five''.

And he said he was so disillusioned with the UBP Government he might resign his seat.

On Friday, Mr. Pearman said: "Arising out of that article, the Premier and I had a talk.

"The issue was my going across to the PLP or getting out of politics. The Premier asked me to consider that position.'' Mr. Pearman said he thought very highly of Dr. Saul.

"I'm just so damned disappointed that some of my colleagues are not prepared to talk constructively. "I have told the Premier I will try to assist wherever I can. I will try to ensure we can solve the differences that separate us.'' He said some people may have misunderstood his political standing in the party because he was friendly with "The People's Five''.

"On occasions it is perceived I'm empathetic with their views. I'm not. They know that, but that doesn't stop me chatting with them.'' Also on Friday, some of "The People's Five'' rebels lashed back at calls by UBP backbencher Maxwell Burgess for them to be booted out of the party.

Mr. Woolridge fired back: "Nobody takes him seriously. He is just trying to take the heat away from Sir John Swan and himself. The whole problem revolves around them.'' Dr. Terceira agreed, saying Mr. Burgess was "part of the problem''.

He added "The People's Five'' had stuck by principles on McDonald's, and were not prepared to blindly follow the path the party had taken.

"Some people say we should adopt the approach of `yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir'. But we stand up for principles.'' Dr. Terceira said the rebels had showed their worth in Parliament.

"On Monday I was the lead speaker after the Minister of Education. I didn't watch the clock, but I was told I spoke for a hour and a quarter.'' Dr. Terceira said legislation like the anti-stalking and domestic violence legislation and the Affiliation Act had originated from Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto.

"What does this tell you?'' he asked.