HC Deb 17 April 1940 vol 359 c939
40. Mr. Robert Gibson

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered or will consider with the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry, the selection of clerk-typists and shorthand-typists for clerical and secretarial work on the lines of selection and on conditions of unestablished service for corresponding groups in the Civil Service?

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)

If I am right in assuming that the hon. and learned Member refers to clerical and secretarial work now performed by uniformed personnel, the answer is in the negative. The allocation of Service personnel to their duties is not a matter for the Treasury, but for the Departments concerned.

Mr. Gibson

Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman considered what was said during the Debate on the Adjournment on Civil Service examinations last Wednesday? Does he not recollect that one of the matters brought up then was that there is a deep sense of grievance among candidates who have been prevented from sitting for Civil Service examinations in respect that they are qualified to do the work indicated in the Question which is being performed by young women in uniform who have not had the training for the Civil Service examinations?

Captain Crookshank

I promised to consider carefully what was said then, but this is another question. If my assumption was right, and if the hon. and learned Gentleman is meaning uniformed personnel, he should address that question to the Minister concerned in the Service Department.