§ Sir C. OMANasked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he proposes to take any measures to open the legitimate avenue of promotion to the clerical class of the manipulative grades of the Post Office, including many old members of that class who were Reservists or Territorials in 1914, or who joined the Army in that year, which has been greatly restricted in order to find vacancies for temporary ex-service men;
(2) what action is proposed with regard to the 280 permanent ex-service members of the Post Office manipulative grade who qualified in September last for promotion to the clerical class, and who by length of service and a higher educational standard than is required of temporary men have shown their fitness for promotion?
§ Mr. HARTSHORNThese two questions do not represent the facts quite correctly. For many years the manipulative grades of the Post Office have had an avenue of advancement to the clerical class by means of limited competitions; and by agreement with the staff 25 per cent. of the total number of male clerical vacancies in the Post Office are due to be filled by this means. In accordance with this agreement 90 candidates were declared successful in the competition held last September. It has been agreed to set up a Committee of the Departmental Whitley Council to consider the present position; and pending the deliberations of that Committee and the Southborough Committee, I am unable to indicate what action will be taken as regards the 280 unsuccessful qualified candidates from the September, 1923, competition.