§ Lieut.-Colonel MASONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the forthcoming examinations for the writing assistant and clerical officer classes (women) have given rise to anxiety on the part of the temporary women staffs; and whether be will give an assurance that it is not intended by the examinations it question to introduce girls from outside the service on such a scale as to adversely prejudice the position of the remaining temporary personnel?
§ Mr. GATESasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is able to give an assurance that the forthcoming examinations for the writing assistant and clerical officer grades, for which young girls only are eligible, will not adversely prejudice the position of existing temporary staffs?
§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the forthcoming examinations for the writing assistant and clerical officer grades (women) are giving rise to apprehension in the minds of temporary women civil servants who realise that the question of their continued security will be reviewed at the end of the present year; and whether he will give an assurance that it is not intended adversely to prejudice the position of these vomen by the holding of the examinations in question?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am not aware of any anxiety on behalf of temporary women staffs as a result of the forthoming examinations for writing assitants and clerical class (women) to fill acancies in women's branches. With retard to the latter half of the question, I would invite attention to the undertaking in this matter which I have already given and which is set out in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member or Paddington, North (Sir W. Perring) on the 7th December last by the Assstant Postmaster—General.