Jim Hacker is engaged in a verbal battle with his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby (with contributions from Bernard, his Principal Private Secretary) regarding the third draft of a policy review relating to overmanning in the civil service. Hacker seeks a phased reduction of around 200,000 staff and, despite Sir Humphrey's assertions to the contrary, he is unhappy that this is the translation of the "totally unintelligible" report that he has received. Hacker is concerned that Sir Humphrey does not share his views on the matter and presses him for a straight "yes or no" answer. Sir Humphrey gives his usual ambiguous reply, which vexes the Minister.

Sometime later, Sir Humphrey invites Bernard for an informal chat. He has not yet seen the Minister's redraft of the policy review and wonders why. At first, Bernard is tightlipped, reminding Sir Humphrey that he is the Minister's Principal Private Secretary. His superior does not like this approach and points out that ministers come and go, whereas Bernard would be hoping for a long career in the civil service. Bernard takes the hint and asks Sir Humphrey if he had a duty to inform him if — to take a purely hypothetical example — a minister and his political advisors had decided to redraft a report between them and then submit it to committee at the last moment, before it could be amended by anyone else. Sir Humphrey tells him that he should not, particularly if such information was given in confidence. However, he is now sufficiently pleased to offer Bernard a drink.

Sir Humphrey confronts Hacker over the report and firmly requests that he be allowed to see the Minister's draft. At first Hacker brushes him off but eventually comes clean and informs him that he is happy with his own version and the report needs no further amendment. He tells Sir Humphrey that he has done nothing but stand in his way ever since he came into office and he is now determined to push this through. His Permanent Secretary remains implacably opposed and when Hacker demands a simple explanation, Sir Humphrey is uncharacteristically blunt, telling him, "If you're going to do this damn silly thing, don't do it in this damn silly way."

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