Cabinet Secretary Mr. Leo Mills yesterday brushed aside claims that civil servants were saying "Yes, Minister'' too often.

The allegation had been made by Opposition Progressive Labour Party Leader Mr.

Frederick Wade.

But Mr. Mills said the Civil Service had no responsibility "separate from the duly elected Government of the day''.

"The Service exists to provide the Government of the day with advice on the formulation of the policies of the Government; to assist in carrying out the decisions of the Government; and to manage and deliver the services for which the Government is responsible.'' Mr. Wade had rapped Government Information Services for making the arrangements for pro-Independence Ministers to take part in debates.

He also claimed GIS director Mr. Gavin Shorto had no business writing a letter to the Editor of The Royal Gazette regarding what Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan said or did not say.

And he complained about recent comments by Parliamentary Registrar Mrs.

Marlene Christopher about the turn-out at Tuesday's advance Independence poll.

As the advance poll closed, Mrs. Christopher told The Royal Gazette : "In my experience, there were far more people voting today than in previous advance polls, even for general elections.'' Mr. Wade said the comments were inappropriate from a civil servant, in light of the PLP's Independence referendum boycott call.

"What I find disconcerting is the manner in which civil servants are carrying out what I consider to be the political bidding of Government members, especially those in favour of Independence,'' Mr. Wade said.

Yesterday, Mr. Mills stressed the arrangements made by Mr. Shorto for meetings were not for the benefit of pro-Independence Ministers.

"Those meetings flowed directly from the work of the Cabinet Committee on Independence and it was wholly proper, therefore, for the director to have made the necessary arrangements for the Committee's public meetings.

"It was wrong, therefore, for anyone to characterise what the director did as `carrying out for the political bidding of Government members, especially those in favour of Independence'.'' Mr. Mills then turned to Mr. Shorto's recent letter to The Royal Gazette in which he took exception to comments made at a Hamilton Lions Club meeting by the paper's Editor Mr. David L. White.

Mr. White was commenting on a controversy over a Gazette article on a House of Assembly speech by the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan.

In it, Sir John was quoted as threatening to withdraw the licences of Bermuda broadcasters.

The newspaper has since admitted Sir John's speech in the House included no such remark.

Mr. White, however, later said the remark was based on a television interview Sir John gave the same night.

In his letter, Mr. Shorto said Mr. White's explanation could not be correct.

"Sir John never threatened to withdraw broadcasting licences -- not in the House, not on television, not in public, not in private, and probably not even in his sleep.'' Mr. Mills said Mr. Shorto's letter was aimed at setting the public record straight.

He added the statement came after Mr. Shorto consulted with Sir John by "long-distance telephone''.

Mr. Mills went on to voice surprise and concern that Mr. Wade should criticise Mrs. Christopher.

"The Parliamentary Registrar was merely stating a fact and, therefore, her comments could hardly have been `inappropriate' in the circumstances.''