§ Major HILLS asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the regular examinations for the Civil Service, when resumed, will be open to women on the same terms as men; and, if not, why not, in view of The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919?
§ Mr. BALDWIN: Under the provisions of the Report of the Reorganisation Committee of the National Whitley Council for the Civil Service, (1) the examinations for the Writing Assistant Class will be open to women only, (2) boys and girls will be recruited for the Clerical Class by separate examinations with the same standard of subject matter, and (3) the 1685W recruitment of women for the Executive and Administrative Classes will be by a system of selection under specially constituted Boards, instead of by written competitive examination; subject to the question being reviewed by the National Council within a period of five years. I may observe that the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act, 1919, does not prescribe that men and women candidates for the Civil Service should be recruited by the same method, and that the proviso to Section 1 of the Act contemplates the possibility of special regulations for the admission of women.
§ Mr. HANCOCK asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any decision has yet been come to as to the making of provision towards meeting the case of candidates for the Civil Service who have been adversely affected by the alteration of the age limits?
§ Mr. BALDWIN: The matter is still under consideration.