Bernard Jenkin is set to raise the issue with Sir Jeremy Heywood hen he ap

A senior official at the Department for Business has been accused of breaching civil service neutrality by giving tips to pro-European lobbyists on how to counter Eurosceptic arguments.

Correspondence obtained by The Times under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that senior civil servants gave advice and a contact to Business for New Europe, the lobby group expected to play an important role in arguing the case for Britain staying in the EU if a referendum is called.

The revelation is set to trigger a dispute, with Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the Commons’ public administration select committee, saying that he would raise the issue with Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, when he appears before his committee next week.

Mr Jenkin, who is carrying out