39. Mr. PALMERasked the Prime Minister whether it is possible to give any figures showing the decrease in the number of female employés in Government Departments since the Armistice; and whether, having regard to the feelings existing among ex-service men at the continued employment of married women and girls of comfortable circumstances, he will give a general order to dispense with their employment.
§ Mr. BALDWINThe numbers of women and girls employed in Civil Departments have decreased from approximately 220,000 at Armistice to approximately 124,000 (of whom some 70,000 hold temporary posts) on 1st March last. An extensive substitution of temporary women employés by ex-service men has been carried out and Departments were instructed to secure, in carrying out this substitution or ordinary reductions of staff, that subject to efficiency, discharges should first be made of juveniles and those not dependent on their earnings.