25. Mr. H. D. Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what opportunities exist for transfer to the Colonial Administrative Service of suitable personnel from the technical and other branches of the Colonial Service; and how many such transfers took place in 1946–47 and 1947–48, respectively.
Mr. Creech JonesAny member of the Colonial Service may apply for a transfer to the Colonial Administrative Service and his application would be given careful consideration, in the first place by the Governor in the territory in which he is serving, and secondly by myself. The aim is, of course, to use the qualifications and experience of each officer to the best advantage of the public service. The answer to the second part of the Question is: "Four in each year." A further four transfers were approved during the latter part of 1948.
Mr. HughesIn view of the very small numbers involved, is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the avenue of promotion is sufficiently wide?
Mr. Creech JonesI should have thought so. Promotion in the technical grades has been speeded up in recent times largely by the withdrawal of men in the older ages and largely because of war circumstances.
26. Mr. H. D. Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is, taking to bring to the notice of pupils in State-aided secondary schools the opportunities existing for employment in all branches of the Colonial Service.
Mr. Creech JonesAs the minimum age for sending candidates overseas is 20, actual recruitment literature is circulated mainly to training institutions for students above school age. As indicated, however, in my right hon. Friend's reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Moseley (Sir P. Hannon) on 8th December general information about the Colonies is circulated to all schools and this includes material calculated to awaken interest in the Colonial Service as a future career.
§ 31. Mr. Skinnardasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many European officers of technical branches of the Colonial Civil Service resigned their appointments and returned to this country after fewer than six years' service, between 1st January, 1946, and 31st December, 1948.
Mr. Creech JonesI regret that the information is not immediately available. If my hon. Friend could specify the technical branches and the Colonies in which he is most interested I would ask Colonial Governments if they could supply the figures without disproportionate labour.
§ Mr. SkinnardWill the Secretary of State make inquiries with particular reference to the Public Works Department and the Railway Department in West Africa?
§ 32. Mr. Skinnardasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent during the past three years, there has been interchange of European personnel as between the administrative and technical branches of the Civil Service in the Colonies.
Mr. Creech JonesOnly four cases of transfer from technical branches to the administrative service have been recorded during the past three years, and no transfers from the administrative staff to technical branches. Little interchange is practicable since administrative staffs seldom have technical qualifications, and the special qualifications of technical staff are usually best employed in their own branches. They have, of course, opportunities of promotion to posts of an administrative nature mainly within their own departments.
§ Mr. SkinnardIs it not within the recollection of the Secretary of State that there have been outstanding examples of technical developments due to the work of administrative officers, and will he create a precedent where such officers have proved that they would be better employed in a higher capacity in the specialist work they have developed, thus obtaining the interchange which is desirable?
Mr. Creech JonesThat has always been done. There are a number of 1668 technical departments to which we have promoted some administrative people, and even in the case of appointment of Governor we have had technical qualifications in mind.