§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees at Government communications headquarters had, at the latest date for which figures are available (a) agreed to give up their union membership, (b) accepted the £1,000 payment for so doing, (c) asked for a transfer to a comparable job elsewhere, and (d) refused to give up their union membership.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweIt is not the practice, for security reasons, to disclose the numbers of GCHQ staff or to give information from which those numbers could be deduced. The number of GCHQ staff opting to remain has continued to increase since I told the hon. Member for Battersea (Ms. Dubs) on 8 February that a substantial number had done so. The number asking for a transfer remains minimal.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the Government's intention that equal pay legislation will continue to apply to employees at Government communications headquarters.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweYes.