Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Murray Excerpts
Wednesday 12th March 2014

(10 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked—
Ian Murray Portrait Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)
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1. What his policy is on the deduction of trade union subscriptions from payroll in the civil service.

Lord Maude of Horsham Portrait The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Francis Maude)
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The deduction of trade union subscriptions from payroll through check-off is a matter delegated to Departments in the civil service.

Ian Murray Portrait Ian Murray
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The civil service has used check-off for the last 30 years. Indeed, large companies such as BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce use it as a very efficient way to deduct trade union subscriptions from salary. Is this not just another ideological attack? Removing check-off from the civil service payroll will cost many times more than running the current system for hundreds of years.

Lord Maude of Horsham Portrait Mr Maude
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As I say, it is a matter for Departments to decide for themselves. A number of trade unions take the view that it is much better to have a direct relationship with their members than to have it intermediated through the employer—it is a rather more modern way to run things.