§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the number of clearly acceptable candidates in the competitions for the administrative class in the home Civil Service in the post-war years compared with the number of vacancies available; if he will state the number of vacancies, the number of applicants, the number declared successful, the number of surplus acceptable candidates, and the number of those declared successful who actually took up appointment in respect of 1954; and if he will state the number of vacancies, the number of applicants, the number of those applicants who are examined by the interview method only, and the number of candidates in the last named category who have been declared successful in respect of 1955.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe Civil Service Commissioners have given me the following information.
In the first five years after the war reconstruction competitions were held, 175W mainly for candidates who had been prevented by the war from competing for vacancies which had accrued during the war years; the number of acceptable candidates and the number of vacancies were just about equal.
Normal recruitment to vacancies occurring annually was resumed in 1948. In the seven-year period 1948–54, inclusive, the vacancies available were filled by acceptable candidates, but it is doubtful if there was any surplus of acceptable candidates.
In 1954, though enough candidates were successful to fill the vacancies, it was not possible to replace two or three of those who did not take up post. The number of vacancies was about fifty; the total number of applicants was 655; the number declared successful was fifty-three; and there were no other acceptable candidates.
In 1955 the number of vacancies is about fifty; the number of applicants by both methods is 474; the number of applicants who competed by the interview method only was 277; and the number declared successful by that method was twelve, subject in some cases to university degree results not yet known.