Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Neil Parish and Lord Maude of Horsham

Wednesday 5th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Maude]

The longer we stick at this task, the more possibilities of saving yet more money we will find. It is important to protect spending on the front-line services on which the public depend, and we will continue to do that. I am delighted to welcome my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Miss Smith) to her post: she will give huge support to me in my role of seeking out wasteful spending and driving efficiency through central Government.

[Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton) (Con)]

3. What his policy is on the provision of trade union facility time across the civil service.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Francis Maude)]

Unions can play a positive role in the modern workplace. [Interruption.] On the subject of paying, it is nice to know who is paying that lot on the Labour Benches.

However, the Government believe that taxpayer-funded facility time arrangements in the civil service should reflect good practice across the private and public sectors. That is why I launched a consultation to review facility time, and will ensure that future arrangements are subject to rigorous controls and monitoring.

[Neil Parish]

Can my right hon. Friend tell me what arrangements for the monitoring of union facilities and activities were in place when he entered Government in 2010, and how much they were costing?