A SECRET Government memo has fallen into the Margin's hands. It relates to the highly sensitive subject of privilege days in the civil service and was sent to all Government departments with a strict instruction that it was "for office use only".

The Margin, however, can reveal that it recommends that privilege days be granted "at Christmas and Easter to members of the administrative, technical and clerical staff and associated subordinate ranks - messengers, porters, charwomen etc".

The Margin has to confess this is not the most up to date story ever reported. The memo, in fact, dates back to 1920 and was issued by the then Department of Labour. But it has formed the basis on which privilege days have been granted ever since.

The Margin is willing to bet, however, that 77 years later, privilege days may soon be a thing of the past. Negotiations are underway between the Department of Finance and the unions and the privilege day may soon be no more. But at a price, of course.