§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Postmaster-General why advertisements inserted in the Press by his Department for overseas telegraph operators fix an age limit of 36 years; and whether he will, in future, engage people on merit rather than age.
§ Mr. StonehouseWe do recruit overseas telegraph operators up to age 59, and I will ensure that the position is made quite clear in future advertisements. However, because of the digital dexterity required, we find that candidates over about 35 have great difficulty in training up to our standards unless they already have typing or teleprinter skills.