§ 3. Mr. BRIANTasked the Minister of Pensions whether women are eligible for promotion to all the higher posts in his Department; whether the women higher executive officers are allowed to deputise in the grades above them so that they may be equally eligible with their male colleagues for consideration for promotion; and, if not, how it is proposed to give these women equality of opportunity with men?
§ Major TRYONExcept in so far as the work of the Department is divided between men's and women's branches, eligibility for the higher posts does not depend on sex. Arrangements for providing deputies for officers during absence are of an informal nature, depending on the particular circumstances of each individual case, and do not give a prior claim to consideration for promotion. The last part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Mr. BRIANTI have not had a definite answer. Is it a fact that women are allowed to deputise? If they are not, are not their chances of promotion very seriously affected?
§ Major TRYONThe point is that this question of substitution does not affect the question of promotion.