Civil Service (Assistant Principals)

HC Deb 21 March 1963 vol 674 cc554-5

13. Mr. Boyden

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many assistant principals in the Civil Service have degrees in scientific subjects; and what proportion these form of that grade.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Fourteen, which is 7 per cent. of that grade.

Mr. Boyden

Is not this a very low figure? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is desirable to have more scientists and engineers in the Administrative grades? Is he doing anything about this?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I should certainly like to see rather more, although in the Administrative grade what is required is a trained mind and general administrative ability almost regardless of the particular intellectual discipline which the candidate has followed. In fact, in the somewhat higher grades—Under-Secretary and above—the proportion is about double that obtaining in the grade the hon. Gentleman selected for his Question.