§ 31. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will take steps to ensure that long-service typists and shorthand-typists in the employ of His Majesty's Government shall not be substituted by new entrants from the examinations but established after seven years' service or more?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Arthur Michael Samuel)I am not prepared to accept the suggestion that unestablished typists and shorthand-typists should be admitted to establishment after seven or any other number of years' service, except through the normal channel, namely, success at the examinations held by the Civil Service Commissioners. But so far as can be foreseen at present there is no reason to apprehend the displacement of any efficient temporary typist or shorthand-typist by a successful candidate from the examinations.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAIs the hon. Gentleman not prepared to agree that seven years' experience in an apprenticeship is the equivalent of passing an examination?
§ Mr. SAMUELUnestablished typists can enter the examination for typists without any limit of age, and the examination for shorthand writers up to the age of 40.