HC Deb 25 July 1966 vol 732 cc1191-2
18. Mr. Winnick

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why advertisements on behalf of his Department for a temporary clerical officer stated that all applicants must be British born and educated in the United Kingdom or be citizens of the Irish Republic.

19. Mr. Faulds

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works why a vacancy for a junior clerk was advertised by his Department stipulating native birth qualifications; by what authority this was done; and what action has been taken.

The Minister of Public Building and Works (Mr. R. E. Prentice)

The nationality requirements are in line with the rules that apply to the whole Civil Service and for this purpose the term "British born" extends to people who were born in Commonwealth countries. I have given instructions that this will be made clear in future advertisements.

The educational requirement was included in a recent advertisement because my Department was particularly seeking recruits from among school leavers, but I have decided that this restriction will be excluded from future advertisements.

Mr. Winnick

While grateful for that reply, may I ask the Minister whether he would agree that the advertisement was worded in a most unfortunate way? Does he not agree that the way in which this advertisement for a junior clerk was worded placed Commonwealth citizens in an inferior position?

Mr. Prentice

It was not intended that way. There are among the employees of the Ministry a large number of people who come from Commonwealth countries. But I agree that wording may have led to misunderstanding, and to avoid that I have given the instructions to which I referred in my original reply.

Mr. Ronald Bell

Why does the Minister and why does the hon. Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick) take this low view of being born and brought up in Britain? Will the Minister make sure that his branch of the public service at least is animated by the belief that the British are the finest race in the world and that no other is to be compared with them?

Mr. Prentice

I am animated and the Government are animated by the belief that there should be no discrimination whatever in these matters. It was certainly not intended when the advertisement was approved that any discrimination should be implied. It is only because there has been some misunderstanding of it—which I can understand in the circumstances—that I have given instructions that this point of view should be made clear in the way that I have indicated.