Mr. A. Cecil Walkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreements with trade unions preclude staff employed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in provincial regions from applying for posts in London; which unions are involved; and what is the nature of such agreements.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe following agreements are relevant:
- i. One with the bookselling grades committee (SOGAT) under which supervisory posts at the HMSO Publications Centre are normally filled by staff there;
- ii. another with the same body under which supervisory posts at the bookshop in Holborn are open only to staff employed there;
- iii. one with SOGAT's London central branch under which industrial vacancies at the London bookshop are open only to industrials at the Publications Centre.
Conversely, supervisory vacancies in any one of the HMSO bookshops outside London are open only to staff employed in that bookshop or in one of the other provincial bookshops.
Mr. A. Cecil Walkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether opportunities for promotion throughout Her Majesty's Stationery Office nationwide are open to members of staff presently employed outside London.
§ Mr. HayhoeThere are no geographical restrictions on eligibility for promotion within Her Majesty's Stationery Office except that:
- i. Only people in the locality are normally considered for vacancies in non-mobile grades, although there is usually provision for staff in other localities to apply for consideration;
- ii. by agreement with bookselling grades committee (SOGAT) only staff in London are considered for appropriate supervisory vacancies there.
Geographical restrictions may also be agreed as occasion arises with the union concerned in order to deal with particular circumstances e.g. a local staff surplus.