§ 19. Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the Civil Service admits for consideration applications in answer to Government advertisements for qualified accountants, which are submitted by accountants authorised on an individual basis by the Board of Trade in respect of the Companies Acts.
§ Mr. George ThomsonI have been asked to reply.
No, Sir. Applicants for professional accountants posts in the Civil Service must normally be chartered or certified accountants.
§ Mr. WainwrightWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, in a period of acute nation-wide shortage of experienced accountants, this small body of experienced people to which my Question refers might have a contribution to make?
§ Mr. ThomsonI think that there are discussions taking place at the moment between this body and my right hon. Friends. I think that we ought to leave it at that for the moment.
§ 20. Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many known members of the following professional bodies are at present employed in the Civil Service, namely, the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, of Scotland, and of Ireland, taken together, the Association of Certified and Corporate Accountants, and the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants, respectively.
§ Mr. George ThomsonI have been asked to reply.
Very approximately, 300, 160 and 130.
§ Mr. WainwrightIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a very small proportion of the total number of civil servants engaged in accountancy work at relatively high levels and that, in an era when the Government are in constant dialogue with industry, there would be great advantages if a number of accountants on either side came from the same disciplines and were able to speak to each other in roughly the same language?
§ Mr. ThomsonThere is a great deal in what the hon. Gentleman says, but future policy of recruitment and deployment of accountants must be considered in the light of the recommendations of the Fulton Report and the outcome of the present proposals for a merger of the bodies concerned.
§ Mr. MolloyWhile we acknowledge the problems facing people in the professional grades of the Civil Service, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there is a need to encourage junior grades in terms of the avenues of promotion open to them and their prospects of achieving a reasonably high status within the Service?
§ Mr. ThomsonYes, Sir, but that is a wider question.