§ Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken, by dismissal or suspension, or other means to discipline the civil servants who refused to compile statistics in relation to unemployment.
§ Mr. BoothAll members of the Civil and Public Services Association in the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission group were sent advance warning at the end of last week that if their union did not call off the industrial action the Government would have no option but to suspend without pay those who were not prepared to undertake to perform their normal duties, including statistics. A letter setting out the views of the Government on this industrial action was sent by the Civil Service Department to the376W General Secretary of the CPSA on 23rd December. This will be considered at a meeting of the union's national executive committee on 11th-12th January.