§ 100. Mrs. WINTRINGHAMasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any ex-service women who have received injuries in the War have been refused the right of approach to the Investigation Board set up to consider the claims of ex-service men in a similar position who failed in the examination by reason of their disability?
Mr. YOUNGThe Investigating Board can only deal with cases submitted to it by heads of Departments under paragraphs 36–39 of the Third Report of Lord Lytton's Committee; but its procedure applies equally to ex-service men and ex-service women, and I am aware of no discrimination between ex-service personnel on grounds of sex.
§ 102. Mrs. WINTRINGHAMasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a disabled overseas ex-service woman in the Ministry of Labour has been informed by the Civil Service Commissioners that she may not sit for the forthcoming special establishment examination for ex-service persons under the Lytton Report, and that other ex-service women have been similarly informed that this examination is for men only; and whether, in view of the fact that the Lytton Committee Report distinctly lays down that ex-service men and women should be treated on an absolutely equal footing, and that the Government has adopted that Report, he can see his way to allowing the women concerned to sit for the ex-service men's examination in April, or to announce an early date for the further examination for women referred to in the Lytton Report for entry into the clerical class, so that these women may not be treated worse than home-service men?
Mr. YOUNGThe competition recently announced is for men only. Ex-service women who are similarly situated to the men for whom this competition is intended will be eligible to compete at the examination for the clerical class to be held, in accordance with the recommendations of paragraph 35 of the Third Interim Report of the Lytton Committee, for women who have been employed in posts above that of a Grade I temporary clerk. The regulations for this competition are at present under consideration.