§ 25. Mr. Wellbelovedasked the Minister of State for Defence, what action he intends to take to ensure that the general principles set out in paragraph 12 of the Industrial Relations Bill, consultative document, are applied to members of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord BalnielNone. Paragraph 177 of the consultative document makes it clear that the armed forces will be excluded from the scope of the Bill.
§ Mr. WellbelovedIs it not a two-faced attitude by the Government to say that it is the fundamental right of every individual to belong to a trade union and then to deny this right to the Armed Forces?
§ Lord BalnielIf that were the case, it might be two-faced, but Servicemen are not forbidden to belong to trade unions.