HC Deb 08 April 1954 vol 526 cc512-4
Mr. Peter Freeman

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will now publish a table showing the total number of civil servants in each Department; the numbers who are now allowed to take part in all political activities; the number allowed to take part in certain political activities, and how this restriction applies; and the number who are not allowed to take part in any political activities at all as a result of Command Paper No. 8783.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

As the answer contains a very large number of very complicated figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Freeman

Could the right hon. Gentleman give us the total number involved in this Question, and say why it is that a large number of responsible people are deprived of these political rights, which are recognised by the United Nations as necessary and justifiable?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

On the first point, perhaps the hon. Gentleman will look at the answer. On the second, when he does look at it, I think he will find that the result as compared with the position under previous schemes is not unsatisfactory.

Following are the figures:

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS
INTERMEDIATE GROUP (See Note 6)
Department Staff of Department on 1st January, 1954 Free group (See Note 5) Standing permission to engage in all political activities for which members of group are eligible Required to seek permission individually to engage in any of the political activities for which members of group are eligible Remain der of group (see Note 7) Total in group Restricted group (See Note 8)
Admiralty 33,922 2,912 21,423 12 — 21,435 9,575
Agriculture and Fisheries 13,067 1,532 5,147 2,550 — 7,697 3,838
Air 26,569 3,198 17,562 14 305 17,881 5,490
Customs and Excise 15,210 2,532 3,360 15 — 3,375 9,303
Education 2,993 599 — — 1,269 1,269 1,125
Food 17,759 2,674 4,112 6,821 — 10,933 4,152
Foreign Office 5,579 1,018 619 1,458 — 2,077 2,484
Forestry Commission 2,233 90 629 973 — 1,602 541
Fuel and Power 2,550 263 1,161 185 — 1,346 941
Health 6,046 1,236 — — 3,390 3,390 1,420
Home Office 3,382 456 — — 1,619 1,619 1,307
Housing and Local Government 3,252 332 — — 1,349 1,349 1,571
Inland Revenue 53,445 3,421 8,197 28,233 — 36,430 13,594
Labour 25,700 3,517 4,496 11,668 — 16,164 6,019
National Assistance Board 9,943 676 1,821 4,124 — 5,945 3,322
Ordnance Survey 4,317 4,001 — 257 — 257 59
Pensions and National Insurance 38,826 3,494 17,388 10,685 — 28,073 7,259
Post Office 258,531 215,494 32,143 1,834 — 33,977 9,060
Prison Commission 6,663 5,118 801 — — 801 744
Scientific and Industrial Research 3,073 135 1,482 447 — 1,929 1,009
Stationery Office 3,118 1,154 867 676 — 1,543 421
Supply 32,934 2,686 13,550 5,398 — 18,948 11,300
Trade 7,169 1,116 3,078 485 — 3,563 2,490
Transport and Civil Aviation 10,756 2,804 3,618 546 — 4,164 3,788
War Office 39,287 2, 073 31,411 42 — 31,453 5,761
Works 14,508 2,306 8,661 11 — 8,672 3,530
OTHER DEPARTMENTS 28,085 5,723 10,227 1,865 850 12,942 9,815
TOTAL (non-industrial staff) 668,917 270,560 191,753 78,299 8,782 278,834 119,918
Add industrial staff all Departments 427,223 427,223 — — — — —
GRAND TOTAL 1,096,140 697,783 — — — 278,834 119,918
NOTES
1. As a number of Departments are in consultation with their Departmental Whitley Councils about the classification of staff, the figures are given provisional.
2. Departments with staffs totalling fewer than 2,000 are included, but are not shown separately.
3. Part-time staffs are included and counted as wholetimers.
4. The Department of Atomic Energy has been omitted.
5. Members of this Group are free from all restrictions.
6. Members of this Group are eligible for permission to engage in all political activities, national and local, except Parliamentary candidature, subject to a code of discretion.
7. The staff here shown will be subject to special rules, notably in respect of local political activities.
8. Members of this Group are debarred from engaging in national political activities, but are free to seek permission to engage in local political activities.