HC Deb 06 February 1984 vol 53 cc486-8W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the trades unions which, up to the present, have enjoyed negotiationg rights with Her Majesty's Government on behalf of their members at the Government communications headquarters at Cheltenham.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The unions concerned are:

  • The Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers
  • The Transport and General Workers Union
  • The Municipal and General Workers Union
  • The Association of First Division Civil Servants
  • The Society of Civil and Public Servants
  • The Civil and Public Services Association
  • The Institution of Professional Civil Servants (including the Association of Government Supervisors and Radio Officers)
  • The Civil Service Union

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the manual trades unions which have members involved in classified security operations at Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The unions concerned are:

  • The Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers
  • The Transport and General Workers Union
  • The Municipal and General Workers Union

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will allow manual workers at Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, not involved in security operations to retain their trade union membership and rights to trades union representation.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

No. In order to ensure the security and continuity of GCHQ operations, it is necessary for all GCHQ staff to be subject to the new conditions of service. In addition, there are at GCHQ, as at other Civil Service establishments, a number of PSA, CISCO and contractual staff who work there in a variety of support roles on a full or part-time basis. These people work under the conditions of service of their parent organisations and are accordingly not covered by my certificates or by the new conditions of service for GCHQ staff.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the industrial disputes by manual workers at Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, which have endangered national security for each year since 1979.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 30 January.—[Vol. 53, c.94.]

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the letter sent by the director of the Government communications headquarters to all Government communications headquarters' staff about their future.

Plenary number Title Chief sponsor Vote for—against— abstentions United Kingdom vote
38/61 Implementation of General Assembly Resolution 37/71 concerning the signature and ratification of Additional Protocol 1 of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco) Mexico 135—0—9 For
38/62 Cessation of all test explosions of Nuclear Weapons Mexico 119—2—26 Against
38/63 Urgent need for Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Australia and New Zealand 117—0—29 Abstain
38/64 Establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Region of the Middle East; Report of the Secretary General Egypt Consensus For
38/65 Establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in South Asia Pakistan 94—3—46 Abstain
38/67 Conclusion of an International Convention on the Strengthening of the Security of Non-Nuclear-Weapon States Against the Use or threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons Bulgaria 108—17—15 Against
38/68 Conclusion of Effective International Arrangements to Assure Non-Nuclear-States Against the Use or Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons Pakistan 144—0—6 Abstain
38/69 Israeli Nuclear Armament Iraq 99—2—39 Abstain
38/72 Immediate Cessation and Prohibition of Nuclear-Weapon Tests USSR 118—4—24 Against
38/73B Review and Implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelth Special Session of the General Assembly: Freeze on Nuclear Weapons India 124—15—7 Against
38/73E Nuclear Arms Freeze Mexico and Sweden 124—13—8 Against
38/183C Prohibition of the Nuclear Neutron Weapon: Report of the Committee on Disarmament DDR 74—12—57 Against

Sir Geoffrey Howe

I am arranging for a copy of the letter, and of the General Notice which accompanied it. to be placed in the Library.