§ 36. Mr. Malcolm MacPhersonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what long-term policy he proposes in order to secure enough candidates of the right quality for appointment to the administrative class of the Civil Service and the senior branch of the Foreign Service.
§ Mr. PowellApplications this year are substantially greater than last, but it is still too early to gauge the effect of the recent improvements in pay and conditions, or of the new arrangements for publicising these careers among university students.
§ Mr. MacPhersonWhen the hon. Gentleman says that applications this year are substantially greater than they were last year, has he any prospect that the one-third of places which were not filled last year in the administrative class and the nearly one-half places not filled in the senior branch of the Foreign Service are likely to be filled in addition to the new vacancies this year? In spite of increased salaries, does he not consider that the root cause of the shortage, namely, competition from industry, is something which needs a broader long-term policy?
§ Mr. PowellThe relation between conditions and pay of the Civil Service and of outside industry has, of course, recently and most authoritatively been examined. As regards the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, the results of this year's competition are not yet available.
§ Mr. M. LindsayWould not my hon. Friend agree that the fact that this year there were 226 candidates for 12 vacancies in the senior branch of the Foreign Service shows that there is really not very much to be anxious about?