§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will provide in respect of his plan of pay delegation submitted to the Treasury(a) a description of the staff in each bargaining unit covered by the plan, distinguishing staff in HQ functions, agencies and agency candidates, and in other identifiable business units and (b) proposals for trade union recognition in each bargaining unit and the negotiating machinery to be put in place in each bargaining unit. [38271]
Mr. John M. TaylorIn addition to the headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department and associated offices, the Lord Chancellor has responsibility for four agencies: the Court Service, Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. He is also responsible for the Legal Aid Board, which is an executive non-departmental public body.
The Public Trust Office and the Court Service became executive agencies in July 1994 and April 1995 respectively, but pay issues of common interest have continued to be subject to joint consultation with LCD HQ. From 1 April 1996, however, the headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department—with associated offices—the Court Service and the Public Trust Office will each assume responsibility for the pay and grading of their staff and from that date will become separate units for collective bargaining purposes. The Legal Aid Board already has delegated responsibility in this area, from 1 April 1995. Staff in headquarters, the two agencies and the Legal Aid Board are primarily in senior management, executive, clerical, secretarial and office support grades. The Court Service also includes county court bailiffs, clerks to HM judges and a small number of domestic staff, the latter serving judges' lodgings.
The present pay and grading structures are, however, now under review. It is not envisaged that, in the immediate term, there will be any significant changes in the present recognition arrangements with the trade unions, who have been invited by headquarters and the two agencies to be party to interim pay agreements which would remain in place pending the outcome of the pay and grading reviews. Changes in pay, structure and collective bargaining arrangements may follow, after consultation and negotiation, as a result of these reviews.
The chief executives of Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Public Record Office have been asked to reply direct.
Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. John McAllion, dated 26 October 1995:
I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply to your question about pay delegation.
- (a) The Public Record Office, a small Government Department and an Executive Agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department, is making its own arrangements for pay
736 delegation. All staff, comprising the unified (administrative and curatorial), secretarial, conservator and support grades, are covered in the bargaining unit. - (b) The office is proposing to continue current trade union recognition (FDA, NUCPS, CPSA and IPMS), and is seeking single table bargaining arrangements.
Letter from E. Beardsall to Mr. John McAllion dated 26 October 1995:
In the absence of the Chief Executive, who is presently away from the office, I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question to him concerning pay delegation in HM Land Registry.As a separate department, the Registry has always dealt directly with HM Treasury and, since 1 April 1994, has been responsible for its own pay and grading systems. Agreed negotiating machinery is in place which involves three trade unions representing all groups of Land Registry staff.I do hope that this answers the points raised with the Parliamentary Secretary but please contact me if I can be of any further assistance.