HC Deb 22 August 1940 vol 364 cc1459-60
54 and 55. Sir Herbert Williams

asked the Minister of Agriculture (I) the number of members of the Women's Land Army in employment on 31st July, 1940; and the total cost of that organisation from its inception to that date;

(2) the number of persons employed centrally or locally on Women's Land Army work whose salaries or wages are drawn from his Department; and the channels through which appointments to salaried posts have been made?

Mr. Hudson

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

There were 8,810 members of the Women's Land Army in regular agricultural employment on 31st July, 1940, and 808 members of the Women's Land Army Auxiliary Force were then in seasonal employment. The organisation started with the National Service appeal in January, 1939, and prior to the outbreak of war £6,250 had been spent on preparations and recruiting. Between the outbreak of war and the end of July, 1940, the cost of the Women's Land Army has amounted to approximately £195,000. The bulk of this represents the provision of training and working uniforms for volunteers now in employment, but it also includes the provision of substantial supplies of additional uniforms for further volunteers likely to be placed in employment before the end of the year. Headquarters staff engaged on Women's Land Army work numbers 58, and the locally employed staff 147, of whom 37 occupy part-time posts. Appointments are made whenever possible through the appropriate machinery of the Ministry of Labour and National Service.