§ Mr. PENNYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difficulty temporary civil servants have to contend with in securing work when dismissed from the service, it is possible to give priority to their applications for positions at the British Empire Exhibition instead of lending permanent civil servants for these posts?
§ Mr. LUNNI have been asked to reply. Preference is already given to temporary civil servants when engaging temporary staff for work in connection with the participation of His Majesty's Government in the British Empire Exhibition. Such temporary staff is obtained through the medium of the Joint Substitution Board, which was set up for the express purpose of obtaining posts for temporary civil servants who are at the same time ex-service men. In certain exceptional cases, where it has been found necessary to loan the services of per manent civil servants for work in connection with the exhibition, their places are filled, wherever possible, by temporary officers obtained from the same source. With regard to appointments made by the exhibition authorities themselves, I am informed that due preference is given to ex-service men, but not to ex-civil servants as such. Over these appointments His Majesty's Government have no jurisdiction.