HC Deb 21 June 1977 vol 933 cc442-3W
Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what figures are available for the proportion of Civil Service administration trainees educated at public schools and Oxford and Cambridge universities; what proportion of this grade in total has such an educational background; and what further steps he is taking to encourage applications from local authority schools, from universities other than Oxford and Cambridge and from polytechnics.

Mr. Charles R. Morris

The following are the percentages of direct entry administration trainees educated at public schools—defined as schools with independent status and with membership of the Headmasters Conference or one of the principal girls' schools—and Oxford and Cambridge Universities who entered the Service in the period 1971–75 and were still in the Service in October 1976:

1971 15.5
1972 15.7
1973 18.1
1974 22.0
1975 18.6

Of 721 administration trainees still serving in that grade in June 1977, 14.8 per cent. had been educated at public schools, as defined above, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

As I told my hon. Friend on 23rd May, I believe that the Civil Service Commissioners are doing as much in the way of encouraging applications for the AT entry from people who attended local education authority schools, universities other than Oxford and Cambridge and polytechnics as they can with their present resources.

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