§ 30. Viscount CURZONasked the Minister of Labour whether any decision has as yet been arrived at with regard to the possibility and desirability of handing over all the work of the Appointments Department to Lord Haig's Ex-Officers' Association; and whether such an arrangement would lead to economy?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have given, and shall continue to give, my personal and unremitting attention to this matter, and I am in close touch with Lord Haig and the Officers' Association with representatives of which I held a conference last Saturday morning. Our joint endeavour is to avoid any waste of effort that may arise from any overlapping of functions between the Appointments Department and the Officers' Association, and to secure the most effective co-operation, in the interests of the ex-officer, between the two bodies. As at present advised, I do not think that it would be possible for me, while over 13,000 officers and other ex-service men of similar qualifications 2167 are on the lists of the Appointments Department still seeking posts, to close down the valuable machinery that the Department has created. But I can assure my Noble Friend that my only concern is to see that the work is done, and done well, with due regard to economy, but without regard to the particular form of agency employed; and with this end in view I am laying before the Officers' Association a series of proposals.
§ Viscount CURZONCan the right hon. Gentleman assure us that there is no proposal before the Officers' Association to hand over all this work to the Employment Exchanges?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo. This is the first I have heard of that.