Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that successful Scottish candidates in the Civil Service Executive Class Examination are being officially advised that they will be required to accept positions only in London or elsewhere in England, or else abandon the opportunity of joining the service; and what steps he will take to rectify this position.
§ Mr. Harold LeverWhen filling executive class posts the Civil Service Commission assign candidates in order of merit taking into account the preferences of the candidates as far as possible. Since there are usually more successful candidates for posts in Scotland than vacancies there, some such candidates are offered a posting elsewhere. I see no need for the Commission to reconsider this policy.
Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many execu- 270W tive class vacancies in the Civil Service have been filled by new recruitment in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively, since 1st January, 1968.
§ Mr. Harold LeverAs a result of the 1968 January open competitions for vacancies in the executive class, the Civil Service Commission have filled the 12 vacancies declared to them in Scotland, the three declared in Wales and 375 of the 520 declared in England. Further vacancies will no doubt be declared in the course of the year.