§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the circumstances under which six employees of the North British Railway Company who had been 1072 elected to the Ladybank Town Council, Fife, have had to resign from the council owing to pressure brought to bear upon them by their employers; and whether he proposes taking any action for safe-guarding the rights of citizenship of the employees of railway companies and other large industrial concerns.
§ MR. ASQUITHIt is understood that the North British Railway Company require their servants to devote themselves exclusively to the company's service, and do not consider that membership of a town council is consistent with this requirement. The matter is not one in which any Department of the Government has authority to intervene.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEDoes the limitation apply to the period when the men are not on duty?
§ MR. ASQUITHI cannot say.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEintimated that if necessary, in order to secure the removal of this regulation he would oppose any Bill promoted by the company in Parliament.