§ 18. Sir IVOR HERBERTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, under the terms of the regulations issued on Form 64 by the Welsh Insurance Commissioners, candidates for the appointment 1847 of inspector, assistant inspector, and health insurance officer are, if already serving in other public departments, exempted from a literary examination under the Civil Service Commissioners; whether he can state the reason for such Civil servants being called upon to undergo such an examination in contravention of the published regulations; and whether the treatment of deserving Civil servants by the Welsh Commissioners coincides with that which they would receive from the English Commissioners under similar conditions?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI would refer the hon. Baronet to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow-in-Furness on 23rd July. In view of the limited number of the posts to be filled under the Welsh Commission, the Commissioners decided not to reserve any of these for Civil servants without competitive examination. Applicants from the Civil Service therefore compete with others. In the Form referred to the Commissioners reserve the right to appoint some Civil servants without examination if necessary, but do not state that all or any Civil Servants appointed will be exempted from such examination.
§ Sir IVOR HERBERTWill the right hon. Gentleman satisfy himself that competitive examination is adhered to in the case of all candidates, and will he see that a notice is issued which candidates can understand, and in which the Commissioners do not go directly against their own notice?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI do not think that they go against their own notice. They reserve the right to appoint some Civil servants without examination. If the hon. Member asks for my personal opinion, I think that free competitive examination is the best way of filling the appointments.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEIs it the fact that a number of Civil servants who were invited to apply did apply, but because of the violation of the terms on which they were invited to apply refused to sit for the examination?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have no information on that subject. But I do not see why Civil servants should object to free competition with gentlemen from outside.
20. Captain FABERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the mem- 1848 bers of the Central Association of Accountants, and other duly qualified accountants, will have the same rights as the audit staff as regards the National Insurance Act; and, if not, will he explain why?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe only persons entitled to act as auditors of accounts of expenditure out of funds under Part I. of the National Insurance Act will be the persons appointed to act in that capacity by the Treasury under Sections 35 and 60 of the Act. As I stated, in answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Tonbridge, in making appointments under those Sections due regard is being paid to professional accounting qualfications and experience.
§ Sir RYLAND ADKINSWill members of the Central Association of Accountants be placed at a disadvantage as compared with members of other organisations?
§ Mr. MASTERMANMembers of the Central Association of Accountants may be appointed on showing that they possess the experience required; that is, experience either of friendly society work or of work in connection with local authorities.
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf they possess that experience I think they are under the same conditions as others.