§ 66. Mr. A. J. Irvineasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in regard to age-limits on entry for the open competitive examinations for appointment to the administrative class of the Civil Service, why deductions from actual age are permitted to men who have done National Service in the Forces but are not permitted to men who have done National Service in the mines.
§ Mr. JayAll those whose education was interrupted by National Service of any form during the war and immediate post-war years were eligible to compete in the reconstruction competition. Deductions from age in respect of employment in the mines are not permitted in the current normal competitions because under the peace-time call-up arrangements such employment does not constitute National Service.
§ Mr. IrvineIs there not an obvious injustice in this contrasted treatment between two forms of National Service? Will my hon. Friend look into it again with a view to correcting that injustice?
§ Mr. JayI have looked into this very carefully indeed. Of course, all these people had an opportunity at the proper time to compete, but this jrule was made several years ago and many thousands have been dealt with under it and it would be a greater injustice if we altered it now.