HC Deb 17 June 1965 vol 714 cc872-3
13. Mr. Sheldon

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on recruitment to the Board of Trade from industry.

Mr. Jay

Generally the Board of Trade relies on the normal methods of recruitment through the Civil Service Commission whose competitions provide opportunities for those who have worked in industry to enter the Civil Service. Some technical posts are normally filled by recruitment from industry, and one officer has been specially seconded for a period from an industrial concern to serve as a principal in the Department.

Mr. Sheldon

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a large fund of knowledge and assistance waiting to be employed by the Board of Trade and other Departments? Will he find further opportunities for its use and employment which would be to the benefit of the whole Ministerial Department?

Mr. Jay

I agree with my hon. Friend. He will realise that we have a number of advisory bodies and draw on valuable advice for the industry, for instance B.O.T.A.C., E.C.G.D., and the British National Export Council, to mention only three. I agree that their advice is very valuable.

Mr. John Hall

Has the attention of the President of the Board of Trade been drawn to the excellent pamphlet, "Change or Decay", which suggests among other things that it would be an advantage to industry and to Ministries if there were an exchange between civil servants and people in industry or even secondment to the Civil Service from industry in order to get experience to deal with each other's problems and provide a valuable force for the Board of Trade and other Ministries?

Mr. Jay

Yes, and I am very sympathetic with that idea.