§ 11 and 12. Sir THOMAS BRAMSDONasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the discontent which exists amongst the military personnel of the Machine Gun Corps Record Office at 91, York Street, Westminster, in reference to their demobilization; whether the majority of them are soldiers of three or four years' service who, after having been wounded or otherwise incapacitated, were posted there for duty; whether the majority of them have positions to go to and the commanding officer has been so informed, but so far only five out of about seventy have been demobilised; whether they are retained until substitutes can be found; is he aware that civilians who have applied for work as such substitutes have been turned away; will he cause inquiries to be made to endeavour to enable these men to be released; (2) whether he is aware that an Instruction was issued to certain record offices to the effect that, commencing on 1st February last, the military staff were to be demobilised at the rate of 10 per cent. per month, but that only five men at the Machine Gun Corps Records Office have so gained their release, whereas in the Infantry Records Office at London Wall, E.C., a considerable percentage of the personnel have gone, notwithstanding the fact that nearly the whole staff of the office is military; and whether he will endeavour to arrange that the various offices shall (subject to the exigencies of His Majesty's Service) be demobilised as far as possible on an equitable basis?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am not aware of any discontent amongst the military personnel employed in the Machine Gun Corps Record Office. The instructions issued were not that 10 per cent. were to be demobilised from record offices per 1829 month, but that not more than that number were to be demobilised during that period—
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe percentage actually demobilised has therefore varied according to the special circumstances prevailing at the moment in the various offices. The services of personnel in record offices are essential in connection with demobilisation as the actual work of demobilising the Army is the first consideration. Some record offices were in a better position to release men than others, more especially where there were a large number of military personnel employed. In the case of the Machine Gun Corps Records Office the military personnel amounted to approximately 15 per cent. of the entire staff, and as these men have experience of military work, more could not be spared before the month of February but a number were demobilised during that month and March. Circumstances are now such that the full quota of 10 per cent. can be demobilised this month. The majority of the military personnel employed at the commencement of demobilisation were wounded or incapacitated men. Some of these have applied to be demobilised; others have not; those already demobilised have been taken from such men as applied.
A number of civilian clerks have been taken into employment since 11th November, 1918, but as only the applicants considered best qualified were selected there were consequently some rejections.