§ Miss BONDFIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that 140 candidates in the shorthand-typist examination, held in December, 1926, received no marks for shorthand; that a large number of the girls concerned are expert shorthand-typists, performing identical work with that of established shorthand-typists in the various Departments, and that some had qualified in previous shorthand examinations or taken good shorthand marks in previous tests; and whether he can give any indication as to the reason why, in spite of the transcription of a greater part of the matter dictated, so many women have received no marks at all?
Mr. MeNEILLAn investigation recently carried out by the Civil Service Commissioners into the recruitment of shorthand-typists showed the necessity of an improved standard of qualification. The standard was accordingly raised in the examination of December, 1926. In the Commissioners' opinion, no candidate who has not passed the examination is an expert shorthand-typist. The Commissioners do not, as is assumed in the question, give marks in proportion to the amount of work correctly done. They make deductions for errors and a certain number of errors cancels all credit for a passage.