§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what grounds staff working within the Registry of Seamen and Shipping were asked to volunteer to do maintenance and cleaning work in addition to their normal duties as civil servants; [16968]
(2) on what grounds managers within the Registry of Seamen and Shipping were allowed to issue an official communication to staff requesting them to bring into work building materials with which to repair their new accommodation; [16967]
(3) for what reasons he allowed the Registry of Seamen and Shipping, following a market test, to move into a building which had no window frames and was in a very poor state of repair. [16966]
§ Mr. NorrisThe request was in fact a notice issued by local management in a misguided attempt to economise on funding provided for alternative accommodation and to promote team spirit through self help. The notice was subsequently withdrawn. The new accommodation for the registry was initially lit by artificial lighting which fully met health and safety standards. However, additional windows were put into the buildings some three months after staff moved in.