§ 24. Mr. DONALDasked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been drawn to the Regulations Paper for examinations which will begin on the 30th December, 1919, under the new reconstruction scheme of the Ministry of Labour; whether he is aware that the age limit of twenty-four years and under at the date of the examination is so low that it disqualifies the majority of ex-Service men from entering the examination, seeing that the majority of men who enlisted during 1914 and 1915 were at least twenty or twenty-one years of age; and if he will consider the advisability of extending the age limit to thirty years of age and under at the date of the examination?
§ Mr. WARDLEI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Kingswinford on this subject on the 6th instant. It is not possible to extend the age limits for the now impending examination. I will consider the question of raising the age of eligibility at future examinations, but the hon. Member will understand that this is a matter which rests primarily with the Civil Service Commission and that I can give no pledge on the subject.