§ 31. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the reason for holding an open competition for female writing assistants when many hundreds of ex-service men are under notice of dismissal; and whether he can see his way clear to cancel 1324 the examination announced for September next for female writing assistants from the ages of 16 to 17 years?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe examination to which my hon. Friend refers is being held to fill vacancies which exist in provincial offices for work of a simple routine character normally performed by, and specially appropriate to, women, and I do not see my way to adopt the suggestion in the last part of the question.