asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in giving effect to those parts of the National Whitley Agreement affecting temporary civil servants, he takes into account the fact that the agreement was drawn up by a body which does not contain one temporary civil servant.

Any Whitley agreements on matters affecting temporary civil servants are negotiated with bodies representing them.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what grounds temporary civil servants who served in the N.F.S. during the war are excluded from the increment to salaries awarded to those who served in the Armed Forces.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the recent award of the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal on a claim to allow temporary clerks to count incremental credit in respect of national service during the war. The grounds upon which service with the N.F.S. was excluded from the award is a matter for the tribunal.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether any power resides in himself or his right hon. Friend to reconsider this question?

No, Sir. It has been to the tribunal and, as I say, the tribunal has made its award. We can hardly interfere with that.