§ Mr. Callaghanasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a statement on the question of reducing Civil Service examination fees and other expenses incurred by candidates.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallYes, Sir. In order to encourage applicants of good quality to come forward in sufficient numbers and to avoid the risk that suitable entrants whose resources are small will be deterred from application by fees and expenses, His Majesty's Government have decided on the following changes:
(1) Examination Fees.
These fees now vary within a maximum of £8 for the highest classes of the Service. The fees for all examinations held after 28th July will be on a new scale in which the highest charge will be £1. Most fees will be below this figure; for example, the fees in the main classes will be as follows:
s. d. Administrative Class 20 0 Special Departmental Class 15 0 Executive Class 10 Officer of Customs and Excise 7 6 Clerical and Assistant Preventive Officer 5 0 Clerical Assistant, Shorthand-Typist and Typist 5 0 Fees for other classes will be similarly reduced and full particulars will be announced shortly.
67W(2) Travelling Expenses.
Expenses of travelling to examinations are now borne by candidates, and, although the larger examinations are held at centres throughout the country, may be substantial. From Monday next all candidates called for examination will be entitled to a refund of fares incurred in excess of £1.
(3) Medical Examination Fees.
Fees for medical examination are now payable by successful candidates. These fees will be wholly abolished from Monday next.
The cost of these changes for a full financial year is estimated as follows:
£ Reduction of examination fees 30,000 Refund of travelling expenses 11,500 Abolition of medical fees 43,000 Total 84,500 The House will be asked as a consequence to pass a Supplementary Estimate which I shall present in due course. The figure of cost relates to the period of reconstruction during which candidature is many times the normal level; the cost will be only a fraction of the figure in normal times.