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Written question asked by Andrew Griffiths (Conservative) on Monday, 20 June 2011, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 June 2011. It was answered by Robert Neill (Conservative) on Friday, 9 September 2011 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Trade Unions: Subscriptions

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the trade unions recognised by (a) his Department and (b) its public bodies charge a political levy on staff trade union subscription fees; whether the political levy may be deducted at payroll level; and what the policy of his Department and each public body is on informing staff joining such unions of the right to opt out of payment of the political levy.
Answer

The following table sets out the trade union recognised by the main Department and the 10 sponsored bodies that have collective bargaining agreements:

Organisation Trade Union(s)
DCLG (Main Department) Prospect, PCS and FDA
Planning Inspectorate (PINS) Prospect, PCS and FDA
QE11 Conference Centre (QE11 CC) PCS
The Audit Commission Prospect
Fire Service College (FSC) Prospect and GMB
Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) PCS, UNISON and Unite
Independent Housing Ombudsman Ltd (IHOL) Unite
Tenant Services Authority (TSA) Unite
Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) UNISON
Standards for England (SFE) PCS
Ordnance Survey Prospect and PCS

With the exception of Valuation Tribunal Service and Ordnance Survey all the organisations shown offer the facility to deduct subscription fees through payroll if requested.Notwithstanding, given departmental resources are used to facilitate the payment of union subscriptions including the political levy, direct from the DCLG payroll (under so-called 'check off' arrangements), I appreciate there is a broader public interest in scrutinising this matter.In that context, as an illustration, I observe that PCS campaigning leaflets, handed out within my Department, do not inform DCLG staff members of their statutory right to opt-out of the political levy when they join, and they correspondingly are signed up to have their union membership fee deducted direct from their DCLG pay packet.Such a collection of the political levy is clearly not a transparent practice. The consideration of the right to opt-out cannot be an informed choice or decision if individuals are simply not informed of that right.I am depositing in the Library of the House a typical membership form/campaigning leaflet that has been distributed inside my Department to inform hon. Members of these practices.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
61783; 532 c867W
Session
2010-12
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP2011-1395
Monday, 5 September 2011
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Trade unions Department for Communities and Local Government Subscriptions
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk