§ 87. Mr. C. DUNCANasked the Post master-General how often during the year the merits of assistant clerks in the Post Office are considered with a view to the promotion of those who are specially meritorious; and if he will take steps to ensure that the prospects of advancement of assistant clerks are not jeopardised whilst the revision of the Post Office 1924 clerical staff, consequent upon the recommendations of the Holt Report is under consideration?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is usual to consider once a year the question of promoting specially meritorious assistant clerks. The matter will be taken up in due course in the current year; and the prospects of the assistants clerks will not be allowed to suffer while the recommendations of the Holt Committee respecting the clerical staff are under consideration.
§ 88. Mr. C. DUNCANasked the Postmaster-General the number of assistant clerks serving in the London telephone service who have been nominated for promotion but who have not yet been certificated as third-class clerks because they have not passed a qualifying examination in purely scholastic subjects; whether he is aware that both the Royal Commission, on the Civil Service and the Holt Committee have in their Reports condemned re-examination on promotion; and will he state the reason for the difference in treatment as between assistant clerks, recruited by examination through the ordinary channels, and ex-National Telephone Company's employés who have been graded as assistant clerks and who are not required to pass any qualifying test on promotion to third-class clerkships?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe number of assistant clerks serving in the London Telephone Service who have been nominated for promotion but have not yet passed the qualifying examination necessary before the issue of a Civil Service certificate is eight. The recommendations of the Holt Committee and the Royal Commission on the subject of promotion without examination relate to proposed new classes and not to the existing class of assistant clerks. The circumstances attending the transfer of the staff of the National Telephone Company were of an altogether exceptional character: and it was necessary in the case of the transferred officers to modify to some extent the regulations which normally govern promotion in the Civil Service.