§ Mr. MIDDLETONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that at a recent competition held by the Civil Service Commission for assistant surveyorships in the Civil Engineer-in-Chief's Department, Admiralty, and the directorate of works and buildings, Air Ministry, persons who did not possess the minimum qualfications laid down in the Regulations governing these appointments were called before the Selection Board; and whether he will give an assurance that such persons will in no event be appointed and that steps will be taken to prevent similar irregularities in the future?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part, the two persons referred to by my hon. Friend, who have been employed in the public service as temporary assistant surveyors for some three years past, were not in competition for the appointments now to be made on the recommendation of the Selection Board, and I can assure him that there is no question of their being appointed to the permanent establishment before they acquire the requisite professional qualification.