§ 45. Mr. Geoffrey Cooperasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the great increase in both senior and junior public appointments due to nationalisation and other developments towards public enterprise under the Labour Government, for which he and other Ministers are directly and indirectly responsible, he will give consideration to adopting as Government policy the methods of selection now being developed in large-scale industry, known as scientific selection, which proved of such immense value in both industry and the services during the war, due to the clearly understood principles and practical advantages involved.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I have been asked to reply. Most of these appointments are on the staffs of public boards. Selection of staff is a function of management and it will be for the boards to decide what methods to use. In the case of Civil Service appointments, these methods are already being used.
§ Mr. CooperWould my right hon. Friend have regard to the methods used in making public appointments by the Labour Government of Australia; and further, would he have regard to the methods used in the War Office during the war as a result of the advice given by experts operating under Sir Ronald Adam which gave very fine results?
§ Mr. MorrisonYes, Sir. I am familiar with some of the methods to which my hon. Friend refers. I quite agree that there is something prima facie to be said for them. No doubt the public boards will keep them in mind but it is their responsibility and the Government do not wish particularly to interfere with them. We will keep the point in mind.