HC Deb 27 November 1952 vol 508 c609
14. Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider reducing the annual intake to the Civil Service for a period, in order to give greater opportunity for older civil servants to remain at work.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Permanent recruitment to the executive and clerical classes of the Civil Service has already been reduced below the level which is desirable in order to maintain a healthy permanent Service.

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

When my hon. Friend refers to a level which is desirable, is he aware that the Ministry of Labour have dropped their intake altogether? Is that not a practice which might be encouraged by other Departments?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The problems of the Ministry of Labour are not, of course, the same problems as that of the whole of the Service, and I am sure that my hon. Friend will agree that it is essential to maintain the efficiency of the Service.