§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking following the decisions of the International Labour Organisation about the banning of trade unions at Government communications headquarters.
§ Mr. GummerThe Government's action in respect of GCHQ was taken solely in the interests of national security and because of the vital importance of protecting GCHQ from any recurrence of the industrial disruption suffered between 1979 and 1981. The Government do not accept that there has been any breach of the ILO conventions. The interpretation reached by the ELO Freedom of Association Committee—which is not a judicial body—wound wholly undermine ILO convention 151 which provides that the position of Government employees engaged on confidential work is a matter for national law and regulations.