CIVIL SERVANTS (Numbers in acting and

Mr L. P. Rodrigo asked the Minister for Finance (a) how many public officers were serving in an acting capacity on 1st October, 1968, and how many such officers have acted for more than two months; and (b) whether there are officers "officiating" in unfilled posts in the Service, the number of such "officiating" officers in the various Ministries and departments, and why such "officiating" capacity is necessary.

Mr Tang See Chim (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, there was a total of 946 public officers serving in an acting capacity as on 1st October, 1968, of whom 785 have acted for more than two months.

Most of the acting posts are in Division I 363 out of 946 as at 1st October, 1968. The reasons for this large number of acting posts have been the expansion of the service and the establishment of new Ministries and Departments (for example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Defence, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Technical Department in the Ministry of Education) and the difficulty in recruitment. This situation should improve with the promotion exercise to be conducted soon.

The answer to the second part of the question is "Yes". The number of officers "officiating" in unfilled posts in the service as on 1st October, 1968, was 47. Such "officiating" appointments are necessary as, in some cases, there was no suitable officer in the next lower grade available to act. Under present regulations, where a post is more than two grades higher than that of the officer's substantive appointment, he may only "officiate" in the higher grade.

"Officiating" appointments may also be necessary in the professional services if, there is a shortage of qualified officers. Here, capable but unqualified officers in lower grades in the same department are asked to "officiate" pending the recruitment of qualified officers.

Lastly, where there is a shortage of officers in certain grades of appointment and where officers in other classes of appointment are suitable, they are asked to "officiate".