HC Deb 14 December 1908 vol 198 cc1226-8
MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Civil Service Commissioners have under contemplation the introduction of any change in the syllabus of examination for clerkships in the Second Division of the Civil Service; if so, whether they are prepared to give intending candidates any intimation of what the contemplated change is likely to be, having regard to the fact that many candidates have been, and are now, preparing themselves in the syllabus in use up to the present time, and, if not prepared to give such intimation, when may an official announcement on the subject be expected; whether it is contemplated to make any change in the existing age limits of seventeen and twenty years for such examination; and whether, in the event of any such change being introduced in the limits of age, will boy clerks of approved service in His Majesty's Civil Service still remain entitled to the two years extension of age to which, under their conditions of service, they are at present entitled when competing for clerkships of the second division.

(Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) No changes are contemplated in the list of

— (a) Number of apprentices entered. (b) Average number of men employed. Percentage of (a) to (b).
Portsmouth: 1906 52 8,597 .60
1907 56 9,126 .61
1908 72 9,854 .73
Devonport: 1906 41 7,488 .55
1907 52 7,888 .66
1908 63 8,437 .75
Chatham: 1906 40 6,703 .60
1907 50 7,313 .68
1908 53 8,089 .66
Sheerness: 1906 15 1,718 .87
1907 18 1,780 1.01
1908 29 1,954 1.48
Pembroke: 1906 8 1,998 .40
1907 11 1,980 .56
1908 11 2,005 .55
Haulbowline: 1906 16 600 2.67
1907 14 635 2.20
1908 11 675 1.63
The numbers shown in the second column (b) represent the average of the whole of the employees at the several yards.

subjects of examination or the limits of age for clerkships in the second division.