HC Deb 03 March 1966 vol 725 cc388-9W
Mr. Barnett

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a constituent of the hon. Member for Heywood and Royton, whose name has been sent to him, was accepted for the Civil Service after passing the examination, but was then informed that the post would not be kept open despite the fact that the constituent, then aged 16 years, was a pupil of a secondary modern school due to take General Certificate of Education examinations six weeks later.

Mr. MacDermot

The regulations for the examination which the hon. Member's constituent passed required successful candidates to take up their appointment before a specified date. To have held the post open beyond this date for a particular candidate would have been unfair to others who had refrained from applying because of the warning. In the event the hon. Member's constituent presented himself by the date in question and was appointed to a post in the Department and area of her choice.