§ Mr. Andrew MitchellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of the recent ballot in which members of the Ministry of Defence staff association voted in favour of a merger with the Electrical and Engineering Staff Association, he will make a statement about political affiliation by Civil Service trade unions.
§ Mr. BrookeAs I made clear in my statement in the House on 7 February 1986, in the Government's view political affiliation by a non-industrial Civil Service trade union would run wholly counter to the need for political neutrality of a Civil Service which has to serve Governments of any political persuasion. The Government remain of this view and would be seriously concerned if such a union, or any section of a union representing non-industrial civil servants, were to seek to affiliate to a political party, either directly or subsequent to merger with another union. In such an event, the Government would need to consider what action would be necessary to prevent political affiliation from taking place. The Government are reassured to note that, in seeking merger with the EESA, the MODSA has already indicated its wish to remain politically non-affiliated subsequent to the merger taking place.