Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that data relating to new civil service starters that is shared between Departments is based on formal trade union recognition rights and not general eligibility for union membership.

Data on new Civil Service starters is not routinely shared between departments. Trade union recognition rights within the Civil Service should be agreed by both the department and its recognised trade unions in the form of a framework agreement.

This is delegated to departments to negotiate with their recognised trade unions.