HC Deb 22 March 1888 vol 324 cc51-2
MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether there is any general official objection, pending the decision of the Royal Commission on Civil Service Departments, to any Civil Servant in this country being a member of the "Irish National League of Great Britain;" and, whether the question is left by the Treasury to be separately decided by the Heads of the several Departments?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

No circumstances have as yet come to my knowledge which would require special Regulations to be issued as to Civil Servants joining the National League of Great Britain. As I have before stated, much must be left to the discretion of Civil Servants themselves; and, while we strongly deprecate overt acts indicating violent partizanship, we are unwilling to attempt too vigorously to define the precise limits within which the political opinion of Civil servants may legitimately find expression.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman would say specifically whether it as left to the discretion of the Heads of different Departments to decide whether A. might belong to the Primrose League and that B could not belong to the National League of Great Britain?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I do not think that any such authority exists with the Heads of Departments as that which is suggested by the Question of the hon. Gentleman.

Subsequently,

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

said, that as he had not been able to obtain a clear idea of the answer given by the First Lord of the Treasury, he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman another Question. It was this—whether those Members of the Civil Service of Great Britain, many in number, who belonged to the National League, were by so belonging infringing any Rule which exists in the Civil Service generally; and, whether they are to look to the Treasury for legality for their position, or look to the Heads of their several Departments?

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he was sorry he could not add anything to the answer given to the hon. Member.