§ 61. Mr. McENTEEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, on the occasion of the last examination for the promotion of Civil 356 Service typists, the accent of those dictating was so pronounced that many of the girls failed to understand it; and what arrangements are made for dictation in the ordinary English language without any accent at all?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The examination was a test in shorthand which was held departmentally in January at nearly 300 local centres. The test was not competitive and was conducted on practical lines, the dictation being given at most of the centres by local officers selected for the duty by the Departments concerned.
The Civil Service Commissioners are not at present able to identify the centre or centres at which it is alleged that the dictators had a strange accent, but they will investigate any complaints made by candidates at this examination.
§ Mr. McENTEECan the hon. Gentleman say whether he has had any complaints, either from the girls who were examined or from the Civil Servants Association, of which many of them are members?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI am not aware of any complaints, but I have heard a rumour that the complaint in Edinburgh was that the dictator in question came from Caithness and that his accent was not understandable. I have no reason to know whether this rumour is with or without foundation.
§ Mr. McENTEEWill the hon. Gentleman endeavour to see that for the next examination the examiners are brought over from Ireland?