HC Deb 17 February 1987 vol 110 cc561-3W
Sir Marcus Fox

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will review the Radcliffe rules with a view to updating the list of those subversive organisations, membership of which precludes employment in the Civil Service.

Mr. Luce

It has remained the policy of successive Governments, as recommended in the Radcliffe report

Mr. Douglas Hogg

[pursuant to his reply,29 January 1987, c. 341]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that two police officers have been seconded to the Kent force and one to the City of London police through arrangements for management exchanges which were introduced by the Metropolitan police on 1 January 1987. The Metropolitan police received three officers from those forces in return. There is no central record of the occasions, other than under the mutual aid arrangements, when the Metropolitan police provided or received other assistance. I understand that since 1984 the Metropolitan police have not received mutual aid from other forces.

The following officers have been seconded overseas since 1984:

(Cmnd. 1681), that no one should be employed in connection with work the nature of which is vital to the security of the state who:

(a) is, or has recently been, a member of a Communist or Fascist organisation, or of a subversive group, acknowledged as such by the Minister, whose aims are to undermine or overthrow parliamentary democracy in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by political, industrial or violent means;

(b) is, or has recently been, sympathetic to or associated with members or sympathisers of such organisations or groups, in such a way as to raise reasonable doubts about his reliability;

(c) is susceptible to pressure from such organisations or groups.

It is for consideration in each case whether a particular organisation or group is covered by this definition. I see no reason to change this practice.

No one is precluded from employment in the Civil Service solely because of membership of a particular organisation.

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