Any officer of the Post Office may be appointed to any vacancy in the Public Service as if he were an officer thereof.

Any person who is employed, and has then been continuously employed (whether before or after the commencement of this section) for an immediately preceding period of not less than 2 years,—

may be appointed to any vacancy in the Public Service as if he were an officer thereof.

Any person who is employed—

may, if he has been so employed continuously for an immediately preceding period of less than 2 years and if that period has been immediately preceded by a continuous period of employment as a probationer or officer in the Public Service and if the combined length of those periods of employment has been not less than 2 years, be appointed to any vacancy in the Public Service as if he were an officer thereof.

Section 27(1) of this Act shall not apply in respect of the appointment to the Public Service of any person to whom subsection (1) or subsection (2) or subsection (3) of this section applies.

Any person to whom subsection (1) or subsection (2) or subsection (3) of this section applies—

Where any person to whom subsection (1) or subsection (2) or subsection (3) of this section applies is appointed to any office or position specified in the Third Schedule to this Act, section 64(2) of this Act shall apply as if he were an officer immediately before that appointment.

Notwithstanding anything in this section or in any other section of this Act, no person shall be appointed to the position of Secretary of Defence or Deputy Secretary of Defence or Assistant Secretary of Defence within 3 years of that person having last had service in the regular forces of the Armed Forces.”