§ Mr. Hurdasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any provision exists, or can be made, whereby officers of the Colonial Administrative Service who are compelled to return home for personal or family reasons may transfer to a branch of the Civil Service in this country so that their administrative experience can still be utilised.
Mr. Creech JonesPosts in the Home Civil Service are filled on the principle of open competition and candidates are required to satisfy the Civil Service Commissioners as to their qualifications. It would not, therefore, be possible to make any arrangements of general application to cover the cases which the hon. Member has in mind. In any individual case I should always be glad to refer the officer's name to the Treasury for the advice of the Civil Service Commissioners as to his possible employment in the Home Civil Service.