83. Sir J. HOPEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury circular of 29th January prevents ex-officers and soldiers, who have not been Civil servants previous to enlistment, being eligible for appointments in the new Departments of the Civil Service?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer is in the negative. The Circular refers to posts which demand the immediate services of trained and experienced Civil servants.
§ Mr. BALDWINThe question, as the hon. Member asks it, relates to ex-officers, and soldiers who have not been Civil servants, and the point of the answer is that it does not matter whether they are ex-soldiers or sailors provided that they are experienced Civil servants, because these few posts for which candidates are required are posts in which experienced Civil servants are necessary. The posts that they have vacated may be open for competition among those who have not hitherto been Civil servants.
Sir J. HOPEWill the hon. Gentleman, say how many of these posts are reserved for Civil servants only? We have just been told that there are to be 30,000.
§ Mr. BALDWINNo. Perhaps it will clear my hon. Friend's mind if I explain to him that the cases covered by this Treasury Circular arose in this way. During the War a number of experienced Civil servants had to be drafted from the older offices to undertake important work in the new offices. These posts that are being filled are the places that they have vacated. That is all. It does not refer to any other question.