§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether it is the practice of Government Departments to insist on the production of witness summonses before allowing civil servants to attend courts as witnesses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerWhere a civil servant applies for special leave to attend a court as a witness, which does not count against his annual leave allowance, it is for the employing Department to be satisfied that he should be absent from his normal duty. It is left to the dis-366W cretion of local management to decide whether to insist on the production of a witness summons for this purpose.