§ MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, as a member of the Commission appointed by virtue of 52 Geo. 3, c. 11, he can say if the recommendations of the Joint Committee of 1899 in paragraph 5 of their Report as to the permanent staff, with respect to examinations and nominations for clerkships in the establishment, are being carried out.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)The Joint Committee recommended that the number nominated to compete for each vacancy among the clerks of the House should not be less than four, and that the examination should be raised to the standard of Class I. for the Civil Service. I am informed that the Clerk of the House proposes always to nominate not less than four competitors, whenever available, for each vacancy. The rule hitherto has been to nominate not less than three or more than six. As regards the examination, it is not thought desirable to adopt the precise examination for Class I. of the Civil Service, but steps are being 1295 taken in concert with the Civil Service Commissioners to devise a scheme which will afford as high a test as Class I., but will include a rather larger proportion of constitutional history and other special subjects.