§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that there is general dissatisfaction with regard to the scale of remuneration and conditions of employment on the part of the ex-service men employed temporarily in Government offices, and that a request by the National Ex-Service Men's Union of Temporary Civil Servants that a deputation be allowed to wait upon him or the Leader of the House of Commons has been refused, although a similar privilege has been accorded to the female staffs of Government Departments; and will he now consent to receive a deputation or cause the whole matter to be inquired into and particularly the claim of these men to be absorbed into the permanent staffs without reference to reasonable age limits and to be advanced by merit equally with other civil servants?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINFor the reasons given by me on the 19th ultimo in reply to a question from the hon. Member for the Newton Division of Lancaster (Mr. R. Young), there would appear to be no need to arrange for a deputation by the association referred to. The remuneration of temporary staffs is about to come under review, and the question of the conditions under which ex-service men should be given permanent posts in the Civil Service will doubtless engage the attention of the Committee which is about to be set up to consider what modifications, if any, should be made in existing arrangements for the employment of ex-service men in Government Departments. I may add that at the examination for the new clerical class (men), which will shortly be held it has already been decided to reserve 75 per cent. of the vacancies for ex-service candidates, if so large a proportion reach the qualifying standard.