§ 58. Mr. HANNONasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the National Federation of Postal and Telegraph Workers and Asso- 3012 ciated Grades now embrace a membership of 7,000 postal servants, and that the postal servants who have joined this federation have seceded from the the Union of Post Office Workers owing to the political and industrial affiliations of that body, and because of the fact that the Union of Post Office Workers adopted a strike policy on matters which are outside the scope of a Civil Service organisation; and whether he will now take into consideration the propriety of according official recognition to the National Federation whose members abide by the tradition and rules of the Civil Service?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am fully acquainted with the position as regards the association referred to. Its total membership among the grades which it seeks to represent forms too small a proportion of the total staff to justify the grant of full official recognition. Some of its constituent guilds are recognised either nationally or locally.
§ Mr. HANNONIs the right hon. Gentleman discriminating between a loyal branch of the Civil Service and a disloyal branch; and will he give a further consideration to this matter of recognition?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYOn a point of Order. Is it right to describe any body of men either as loyal or disloyal in this connection, when no question of loyalty to the Throne arises?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONIt is not a question of discrimination. It is a question of administration.
§ Mr. PALINGWill the right hon. Gentleman try to stop attacks by people like the hon. Member for Moseley (Mr. Hannon) against Post Office workers?