§ 41. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many ex-Service men are at present on the books of the Joint Substitution Board?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Arthur Michael Samuel)The total recorded on 1st June, 1928, was 615.
§ 42. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the reason for the continued occurrence of cases in which women are being put into posts of ex-Service men who have been discharged on account of redundancy or in which women are being retained in posts which could he equally well filled by ex-Service men; and whether he will take immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of such cases and to ensure that the pledges given to ex-Service civil servants are fulfilled in letter and in spirit?
§ Mr. SAMUELI am not aware of any cases in which women are being put into posts of ex-Service men who have been discharged on account of redundancy or that there is any foundation for the suggestion made in the last part of the question that the pledges given to ex-Service men are being broken in any way. As regards the temporary women retained in the Civil Service the work on which they are employed is of the kind accepted by the Southborough Committee as peculiarly appropriate to or normally performed by women. There is, therefore, no scope for their substitution by ex-Service men.
§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND-TROYTECan the hon. Gentleman assure me that there are no cases in the Ministry of Pensions and the Ministry of Health in which women are taking the place of discharged ex-service men?
§ Mr. SAMUELI could not say off-hand. I should have to ask the Departments.
Lieut. - Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALLIs there any truth in the statement which has been made that pledges were given to the women, many of whom would have been discharged in the ordinary course of events, that they should be retained for another year, and does the hon. Gentleman recognise that that means transferring work to the women and taking it away from a number of ex-service men?
§ Mr. SAMUELSo far as I know, the recommendations of the Southborough Committee have been followed.
Sir F. HALLI am sorry to press my hon. Friend, but is there any truth in the statement that a pledge was given to women that they should have another 12 months?
§ Mr. SAMUELIf the hon. and gallant Gentleman will put down a question, I will try to answer it. I cannot tell him off-hand.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs my hon. Friend aware that this is a great source of grievance amongst ex-service men, and will he make further inquiry?
§ Mr. SAMUELI will look into any cases brought to my attention.
§ Captain FRASERIs it not a fact that young persons have been taken into the Civil Service while, concurrently, ex-service men have been dismissed, and that even if they have not taken the same jobs they are doing similar work?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is not a matter arising out of this question, and it should be put on the Paper.