§ Mr. W. J. Brownasked the Secretary of State for War (1) what rates of pay it is proposed to offer to military officers who may be selected to fill Civil Service posts in Record Offices; and why applications were invited from military personnel before the claims of existing civil staffs have been fully considered;
(2) whether, in connection with a circular letter recently issued by his Department inviting military officers to apply for posts which have been defined as Civil Service posts in certain mixed establishments, consideration will be given to the claims of those members of the civilian staffs who have been denied the opportunity of consideration because of a proviso about the length of qualifying service, which is not being applied in the case of military personnel.
§ Sir J. GriggI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the application from assistant record officers, serving on civilian contracts, for appointment as departmental civilian officer or assistant administrative officer. If so, he is under a misapprehension in thinking that the general rules regarding the length of qualifying service will not be applicable in these cases. Any assistant record officers who may be selected for appointment as departmental civilian officer or as assistant administrative officer will be offered employment as temporary assistants on a range of pay from £325 to £400 a year, in the case of departmental civilian officer posts, and on a range of pay of £450 to £600 a year, in the case of assistant administrative officer posts. It is the intention first to promote the established civil servants who are found fit for promotion and then to consider the claims of the temporary civil servants, including those of the few candidates from among the assistant record officers.