§ 25. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, according to Cmd. Paper 2808, his Department employs a smaller percentage of ex-service men than any other Government Department, and that in the case of disabled ex-service men the percentage (6.38 per cent.) is under half the percentage employed by any other Department; and whether he will give his reasons for this state of affaire, and state what steps he proposes to take to increase the total percentage of ex-service men and the percentage of disabled ex-service men employed!
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe smaller percentage shown is due to the fact that an unusually large proportion of the Admiralty staff belongs to the shipbuild- 1237 ing and engineering industries and the like, which, as my hon. and gallant Friend must be aware, were only allowed to volunter for military service to a very limited extent, because they were urgently required for warship and merchant ship building. If this special feature is allowed for, the Admiralty percentage does not compare unfavourably with other Departments. The Admiralty follows the rules laid down in regard to the employment of ex-service men in every respect.