§ 43. Lieut.-Colonel JAMESasked the Minister of Labour whether, with reference to promotion to the grade of higher clerical officer in his Department, it is the policy of his Department to give preference for such promotion to ex-assistant clerks now serving as members of the clerical class of his Department to the detriment of post-War ex-service entrants of the same grade who are considered fully qualified to discharge the full duties of the higher clerical class and whose only disqualification for such promotion appears to be on the grounds of lack of seniority against the ex-assistant clerks, who, in many instances, count their service during the War years, whereas post-War ex-service entrants are not allowed to count their War and 27 temporary service for seniority purposes; and, if so, whether he will consider the possibility of revising this policy in order to ensure consideration being given to such qualified ex-service officers at present serving in the clerical class of his Department who passed the Lytton or Southborough examination?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Betterton)The question of promotion from one grade to another in my Department is dealt with on lines laid down by the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service, as applied by agreement on the Whitley Council for the Ministry of Labour. In the particular case referred to by my hon. Friend, the agreed Rules of Promotion Procedure provide that the officer to he selected shall he "the best qualified among officers of relatively high seniority subject to the proviso that this grade should always contain a proportion of officers deemed likely to qualify for eventual promotion to the top of the Staff Clerk scales."