asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met representatives of the Civil Service trade unions; and what was discussed.

I met the Civil Service unions on 4 December to discuss the Government's decisions on the 1984 report of the Top Salaries Review Body. The unions also took the opportunity to discuss with me some recent changes in travel and subsistence provisions.

Did the Minister take that opportunity to raise the subject of the review of VAT offices? Has he anything to say about the proposal to close 30 of them, in view of the Government's plan to increase VAT on some commodities—on newspapers, books and so on? What implication does that have for staffing? Will he make a statement on that subject to the trade unions?

VAT was not discussed at my last meeting, which was with the Council of Civil Service Unions. Nor was it discussed at an earlier meeting that I held with union representatives from Customs and Excise. At that time they were raising matters about the customs part of the general responsibility of Customs and Excise.

Is the Minister aware that in the pay negotiations going on at GCHQ, of the five members of the staff side three still retain their trade union membership? Does that not show the absurdity of the Government's ban on trade union membership there?

No. What it does show is that the hon. Lady is relying upon a recent, inaccurate report in the Financial Times.