§ 17. Major Sir BERTRAM FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if be will take steps to have promulgated for general information of petty officers and men the Regulations governing the facilities which have existed since 1918, whereby boys entered for training as ratings who show exceptional promise may compete at the special entry examination for naval cadets?
Mr. DAVIDSONThe educational standard required of a boy to enable him to obtain a sufficiently high place to enter by the special entry examination is so high that only the very exceptional boy could be given facilities to compete, with any reasonable chance of success. In view of this and of the age limits laid down for the examination (17½ to 18½), I think that any general promulgation of the facilities would be undesirable, as being likely to give to those concerned a false impression of their chances. I would point out that, under the mate scheme, a man who has fully qualified for advancement to leading rating can, on attaining the age of 21, become eligible for selection for promotion to mate, and this scheme must, in the opinion of the Admiralty, be regarded as the normal avenue of promotion for the most promising of the younger petty officers and men.