§ 107. Mr. GLANVILLEasked the President of the Board of Trade why is it that the Board of Trade have not instructed the Labour Exchanges, when dealing with applicants for clerkships in public Departments, to adopt the line indicated by the Prime Minister in his recent speeches, namely, to eliminate the age test and send on applicants qualified to perform the duties irrespective of their ages?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)Presumably my hon. Friend's question refers to applicants for temporary clerkships in public Departments. Such applicants are interviewed by a board consisting of a representative of the Civil Service Commission and a representative of the Labour Exchanges Department of the Board of Trade. Applicants recommended to the Civil Service Commissioners for appointment by this interviewing board are selected with regard to their qualifications for the work to be performed, irrespective of age, except that male applicants of recruitable age are not recommended for appointment unless they are disqualified from military service through some physical defect which does not incapacitate them for clerical duties.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are a great number of clerks in the Labour Exchanges of military age whose services might be dispensed with for the present?