§ Sir HARRY SAMUEL (for Mr. Norman Craig)asked whether, during the period since the reinstitution of the Army qualifying examination, there has been a diminution in the number of candidates relatively to the number of vacancies; and whether the absence of competitive examination during the latter portion of such period has been due to a dearth of candidates?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe Array qualifying examination is a mere qualifying test, and there are no vacancies named in connection with it. The absence of competitive examinations last year was due to the fact that the number of qualified candidates presenting themselves was not in excess of the number of vacancies available at Woolwich and Sandhurst. It must be remembered that the intake of cadets into Woolwich and Sandhurst was increased owing to the demand for Regular officers for the Special Reserve and Territorial Force.
§ Sir HARRY SAMUEL (for Mr. Norman Craig)asked whether the Army Qualifying Board is responsible for the Army qualifying examination; whether the Civil Service Commissioners, who controlled the competitive examination, have any control over the Army qualifying examination; and whether the Army Qualifying Board is composed wholly or mainly of examiners drawn from London University?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe Army Qualifying Board, under the Presidency of Sir Henry Craik, is responsible to the Army Council for carrying out the Army qualifying examinations. The Civil Service Commissioners have no control over the Army qualifying examination. The Army Qualifying Board is composed of representatives of the following educational bodies, who grant leaving certificates for Army purposes: The Scotch Education Department, the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education, the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Examination Board, the University of London, the University of Birmingham, the Oxford Local Examination Delegacy, and the Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate.
§ Sir HARRY SAMUEL (for the same hon. Member)asked whether, in the case of the Army qualifying examination, there are moderators to regularise the standard of papers set; whether such moderators took any part in supervising the papers set to candidates in the recent Army qualifying examination; who such moderators are; and whether the competitive examination is abandoned or merely suspended until the number of candidates warrants its reintroduction?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe standard of the papers set at the Army qualifying examination is regulated by and co-ordinated with that of the leaving certificates for Army purposes by the Army Qualifying Board. The papers set at the recent exami- 1061 nation were, as usual, reviewed and approved by the Board. The competitive examination is not abandoned, but the necessity for holding such an examination depends on the number of qualified candidates presenting themselves.