§ 50. Mr. Price-Whiteasked the Minister of Food how many redundancy notices 1142 have been served upon the temporary staff at the Bangor-Ogwen area food office at Bangor since 1st January, 1948; whether the posts of any of such temporary staff have or are intended to be filled by established civil servants; and what are the ages and experience of any replacements concerned.
§ Dr. SummerskillOne temporary officer has been served with a redundancy notice. He is being replaced by a newly established civil servant, aged 17, who has had no previous experience in a food office. It is our policy to introduce a number of established officers into the regional organisation of the Ministry.
§ Mr. Price-WhiteCan the right hon. Lady assure the House that as a matter of staff policy it is not the intention of the Ministry to dispense with persons, particularly ex-Service men, who have been in this work for some time and to replace them with young girls who have just come from school and secretarial college and have no experience?
§ Dr. SummerskillThe hon. Gentleman has not fully informed himself of the facts. This girl of 17 has passed the appropriate Civil Service examination. The young man had every opportunity of doing so—it was brought to his notice—but he failed to do so. I therefore think that it was quite fair that he should be replaced.