§ 75. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether the First Lord of the 38 Admiralty's attention has been drawn to a resolution passed at a meeting held last week of the Devonport branch of the Draughtsmen's Association expressing dissatisfaction at the method of procedure adopted by the Admiralty in selecting persons for service on the Admiralty drawing staff, and stating that men who failed to qualify at the recent Civil Service examination have been selected in preference to qualified men, thus postponing the advancement of qualified men and limiting the avenues of promotion; and whether he can see his way to offer these appointments to draughtsmen in order of seniority; and, if sufficient numbers be not available, will he consider the advisability of calling for volunteers in the order the men's names appear on the current list?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe draughtsmen coming from Devonport include three who have not qualified for promotion at the recent examination. These three were selected on account of their previous experience at the Admiralty on new design work; their employment is temporary, and they will return to the yard at the end of about four months; it is in no sense promotion, and does not depend upon the results of the Civil Service examination, which was held solely to ascertain the relative fitness of draughtsmen for promotion.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEAre we to understand that promotions on the lower deck are not affected by this action on the part of the Admiralty?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThey are not. It is not a question of promotion at all. The hon. Member thinks it will postpone "the advancement of qualified men and limit the avenues of promotion." He is quite wrong in his assumption on that point.