Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service (GCHQ) is a British intelligence agency that provides signals intelligence to the British government and armed forces. Prior to 1983 its existence was not acknowledged, despite the fact that it openly recruited graduates. Following a spy scandal in 1983, the organisation became known to the public, and the government of Margaret Thatcher decided a year later that employees would not be allowed to join a trade union for national security reasons. The Minister for the Civil Service is a position held "ex officio" by the Prime Minister. This was done through an Order in Council, an exercise of the Royal
Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland The "Civil Service of the Government" is the direct descendant of the Civil Service of the Government of Saorstát Éireann, as provided for in Article 56, of the Constitution of Ireland; one of the Transitory Provisions intended to ensure continuance of institutions of the state. A significant reform of the civil service occurred by the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 and Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956. These two acts however were deeply controversial in that they placed in statute law the requirement that many women would face mandatory retirement on marriage (the requirement was previously a regulation since 1924). This