§ 58. Major Digbyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the pressure brought to bear upon civil servants to induce them to join the appropriate Civil Service trade union, or to prevent them from resigning from a union of which they are already members; and if he will take steps to prevent this practice.
§ Mr. DaltonNo, Sir. I am not aware of any such pressure.
§ Major DigbyIs the Chancellor aware that a constituent received a letter from a trade union in which it was alleged that his promotion was due, not to his merits, but to the fact that the trade union concerned brought pressure to bear on his behalf? Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to conduct promotion in the Civil Service on those lines in the future?
§ Mr. DaltonIt the hon. and gallant Gentleman will give me particulars of the case it might be investigated. I have had no such suggestion ever put to me; I do not believe that any such pressure has been applied, or that promotion has been caused by any such factor.
§ Mr. William WilliamsIs my right hon. Friend aware that trade unions have no say whatever in the matter of promotion in the Civil Service?
§ Mr. HaworthWould not my right hon. Friend agree that the system of promotion in the Civil Service is regarded as the fairest in the world, and the envy of trade union movements everywhere?