36. Lieut.-Colonel Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary to the Treasury what were the 200 vacant positions in the Government service for which applications from girls and young women had recently been invited in the London "Gazette"; whether the possibility of utilising discharged service men who had been unable hitherto to find employment had been considered in reference to such posts; and whether he would state the respective number of girls and women employed in the permanent Government Departments before the War, at the time of the Armistice, and now?
§ Mr. BALDWIN (Joint Financial Secretary to the Treasury)The vacancies in question are vacancies in the authorised 16 establishments of women clerks in the Employment Department of the Ministry of Labour and in other Departments which had before the War a staff of permanent women clerks. Ex-soldiers would not be suitable for appointment to these posts, which are required for work peculiarly suitable for women. The total number of women and girls employed in all Civil Departments (including local offices throughout this country and temporary as well as permanent staff) at the dates asked for are approximately as follows:
| 1st August 1914 | 45,000 | |
| 11th November 1918 | … | 220,000 |
| 1st July 1911 | … | 170,000 |
52. Captain TERRELLasked the Prime Minister whether there is any Government Department which has assumed the responsibility of recommending to employers that they should carry out their pre-war promises of re-engaging men who joined the Army in the time of the country's need?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Wardle)The Ministry of Labour through the local employment committees are constantly drawing the attention of employers to their obligations in this respect.