Miss Rathboneasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that in a recent general knowledge paper of the examination for accountancy in the Royal Air Force a question was set asking the examinee to describe and account for the attitude of the British Government to the Spanish civil war; and whether he will give directions to the examiners that in future questions should be avoided which are certain to be interpreted as designed to facilitate knowledge of candidates' political opinions and discrimination against opponents of the Government?
§ Captain crookshankThe paper, of which I am sending the hon. Lady a copy, was designed to test the knowledge of candidates "in matters of current importance," and consisted of eight questions, of which candidates could choose any four. It is not easy in setting a comprehensive paper of this kind to exclude all questions which might conceivably be regarded as having political implications. The Civil Service Commissioners appreciate the importance of avoiding questions which might give rise to the impression suggested by the hon. Lady, although I need hardly add that any such impression would be quite mistaken.