HC Deb 05 July 1949 vol 466 c1951
31. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make arrangements for the General Certificate of Education to take the place of the present Civil Service examination as the means of testing the educational knowledge of potential entrants to the Royal Military Academy.

Mr. M. Stewart

The possibility of using the General Certificate of Education instead of the present examination conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners is under consideration.

Major Beamish

In considering this, will the Minister bear in mind that there is very little, if anything, to be said for forcing boys to specialise before they go to the Royal Military Academy, and that that may be one of the major deterrents against boys entering the Army in the numbers in which they used to?

Mr. Stewart

Yes, Sir.