 He was secretary of the British Federation of Young Co-operators 1942-46 and general secretary of the Anglo-Chinese Development Society 1946–52.He served as a councillor on the Municipal Borough of Ilford 1949-52 and was national organiser of the Medical Practitioners' Union 1956–59.Pavitt was Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Willesden West from 1959 to 1974, and for Brent South from 1974 until he retired in 1987.