§ 29. Lieut.-Commander DEANasked the Minister of Labour the number of applications received from disabled officers, noncommissioned officers, and men for training; how many of these have been approved of; and how many have been trained or are in the course of training?
§ Sir R. HORNEA statement giving the figures desired, in so far as they are available, is being circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The following is the statement referred to:
§ The Training Schemes administered by the Ministry of Labour for the benefit of disabled ex-Service officers and men fall under three heads:
- 1. Industrial Training.
- 2. Training for Commerce and the Professions.
- 3. Training of ex-officers under the Royal Warrant for Pensions.
§ The first is administered by the Training Department; the second and third by the Appointments Department in conjunction with the Educational and Agricultural Departments for England, Scotland and Ireland. The figures desired, so far as they are available, are given below.
§ The total number of applicants under the first head is not available, but about 12,000 disabled men are in training, while about 20,000 have completed training, and 20.000 are awaiting training.
§ Facilities for training under the second head are not restricted to the disabled; all ex-officers and men of similar educa- 1482 tional promise are eligible. It is not possible to give separate figures for the disabled and non-disabled, but the following statement shows the approximate number of applications received and grants sanctioned for disabled men and non-disabled men together under the Maintenance and Training Grants Scheme.
| — | Dealt with by | ||
| Ministry of Labour. | Educational Departments | Agricultural Departments | |
| Applications | 21,000 | 31,000 | 6,500 |
| Grants sanctioned | 7,700 | 19,000 | 2,000 |
§ The total number of applications for training from ex-officers under the Royal Warrant for Pensions is about 450. The following table shows the number of cases approved up to date, distinguishing cases dealt with by the Ministry of Labour from those dealt with by the Educational and Agricultural Departments respectively:
| — | Approved and in training. | Approved but not yet in training. | Completed training. | Total. |
| Ministry of Labour | 95 | 34 | 48 | 177 |
| Educational departments | 31 | 1 | 26 | 58 |
| Agricultural departments | 102 | 15 | 25 | 142 |
| Totals | 228 | 50 | 99 | 377 |
§ Mr. BILLINGHaving regard to the peculiar qualities of naval officers, will the right hon. Gentleman set up a special Department of the Ministry of Labour to deal with these men?
§ Sir R. HORNEI do not think it requires a separate Department; but I will recognise the force of what the hon. Member says. They are being separately and specially dealt with.
§ 31. Captain LOSEBYasked the Minister of Labour if he will supply the House with figures sufficient to indicate, approximately, the response made to the Royal Proclamation inviting employers of 1483 labour to co-operate with the State in the matter of finding employment for disabled soldiers?
§ Sir R. HORNEUp to date the names of 5,088 employers have been placed on the- King's National Roll. These firms employ altogether about 725,000 work-people, and have undertaken to provide employment for 46,000 disabled men.
§ Captain LOSEBYCan the right hon. Gentleman say what steps are being taken to give publicity to the names of those employers who co-operate and those who refuse to co-operate with the State in this matter
§ Sir R. HORNEThe names of those who co-operate will be put up in prominent positions in the Employment Exchanges, and we hope also in the municipal buildings in the various districts.
§ Lieut. Commander KENWORTHYWhat about the blacklegs who will not do it—are their names not to be published?
§ Sir R. HORNEI am afraid you must regard those who are omitted from the list as people who have not done their duty.
§ 36. Mr. HIRSTasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of men, other than ex-officers, on the 30th September last in Surrey, Sussex, and Kent, and the remainder of the country respectively, actually training in various detailed trades, occupations, and professions, the numbers of places available, the number of applicants waiting, and the total number of men trained since training began?
§ Sir R. HORNEI regret that I am unable to give exact retrospective figures. At the present moment the number of men, other than ex-officers, in training in the whole country is about 12,000. The number known to be waiting and qualified for training is about 20,000. The total number trained with State Grants since training began is about 18,000. As regards Surrey, Sussex and Kent, the numbers of men now in training is 1,181, of those awaiting training, 3,048. It is impossible to give the number of training places actually available, as this depends upon the fluctuating number of vacancies available in technical schools and institutions and in private workshops, and upon the 1484 places which become available from day to day with the development of Government instructional factories.
§ Mr. GWYNNEHow many applications have been received for training?
§ Sir R. HORNEAs I have said, there are at present men who are waiting to qualify for training to the number of 20,000.