66. Viscountess ASTORasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now giving effect to the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, 1931, that posts in the labour, veterinary, and livestock inspectorate of the Ministry should not be reserved for men; and, as such posts are filled by selection boards, who are in a position to satisfy themselves as to the individual suitability of candidates, whether he will state fully the reasons on which a continuance of any reservations in these three inspectorates is based?
§ Mr. ELLIOTThe recommendations of the Royal Commission, together with other matters relating to the employment of women in the Ministry, was considered by the Departmental Whitley Council in accordance with the procedure agreed by a Central Committee of the National Whitley Council which reported in 1934. The duties of all departmental classes were considered in detail by a committee which submitted a report to the Departmental Whitley Council recommending, inter alia, that the veterinary and livestock inspectorates should continue to be reserved for men, and that the labour inspectorate should be open to both sexes. This report, a copy of which has already been communicated to my Noble Friend, and which sets out the reasons for the recommendation, has been accepted, and appointments to the labour inspectorate are accordingly now open to men and women.
Viscountess ASTORCan the right hon. Gentleman explain why there are no women inspectors in the Department of Agriculture, seeing that there are at least 50,000 women working on the land?
§ Mr. ELLIOTI will send the Noble Lady a copy of the report.
Viscountess ASTORThe right hon. Gentleman has not given me an answer. Will he tell the House plainly why there are no women inspectors for the 50,000 women who are working on the land?
§ Mr. MACQUISTENThe committee which made the report were all men.