§ 79. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether certain members of the Ministry of Munitions, who have their own private businesses or professions in being and who give considerable attention thereto, are still being retained in the Ministry; and whether, in the interests of the Department, these positions can be filled by ex-service men who could devote their whole time to their duties and send the others to their own businesses and so increase production?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Mr. J. Hope)Certain old officials are being temporarily retained in the Ministry on a whole-time basis in order to finish particular work of which they alone have the necessary knowledge. The Ministry gives preference of employment to ex-service men wherever possible in posts for which the need continues.
§ Captain LOSEBYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a general uneasiness amongst ex-service men in regard to their position in the Department, in that they are confined, generally speaking, to temporary and lower paid posts, and would he consider the advisability of inquiring generally into their whole position?
Mr. HOPEI was not aware of any special uneasiness among the ex-service men, for whom, I think, very great efforts have been made, but of course, when you have a staff which has been reduced, and when there is continual pressure to reduce it further, there must necessarily be uneasiness among all the members of that staff, whether ex-service men or not.