§ 70. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is the practice of the Civil Service for medical tests of candidates to be made subsequent to their passing examinations for Government appointments; and whether, seeing that a number of successful candidates, who have spent money and time in preparation for these examinations, are disqualified for selection owing to failure to pass the medical tests, he will consider the possibility of making arrangements for candidates to be medically examined before they embark on their preparation for the educational examinations?
Mr. SAMUELIt is not the practice of the Civil Service Commissioners to examine the physical qualifications of persons who apply for admission to Civil Service examinations. Their physical eligibility for appointment is investigated in the event of their success. The number of candidates unsuccessful at an examination is normally much greater than the number of successful. The medical examination of all applicants would put the majority to unnecessary expense in payment of medical examiners' fees and would involve an expensive and unprofitable addition to the work of the Civil Service Commission. The Commissioners issue a memorandum for the guidance of intending candidates, setting out physical qualifications of importance, and recommending intending candidates, who are in doubt as to their eligibility, to be examined by their own medical advisers before they begin preparation for a competition.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs the hon. Gentleman aware that many cases of very great hardship arise owing to young men who have prepared over a period of years for these examinations being subsequently rejected on some minor defects of eyesight or what not, with the result that their period of preparation has been wasted?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is the question on the Paper.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWould it not be possible to charge applicants fees for a prior medical examination, so that if anyone wanted to be examined 12 months before he sat for the examination, he could be examined at his own expense? Civil Service doctors would be very glad to get such fees from the public.
Mr. SAMUELThat would cause a great deal of labour and expense. In one examination last year there were 20,000 applicants and only 8,000 places open to them; so 12,000 would, if the suggestion now made were followed, have to pay for being examined without any chance of their getting any place in the examination.