§ 80. Major-General Sir Alfred Knoxasked the Minister of Information whether he will give an estimate of the annual cost of the information services under the Regional Commissioners?
§ Mr. ThurtleThe present cost of the Ministry of Information's Regional organisation, including the salaries of the staff and the expenses relating to their activities, is estimated in round figures at £250,000 a year.
§ Mr. ThurtleIf the hon. Member were to go round the regions concerned, he would find that the opinion of the people there is that these regional officers are doing very valuable national work.
§ 81. Sir A. Knoxasked the Minister of Information the number of officials employed by his Ministry in Information 586 services under the Regional Commissioners; and how many of them are of military age?
§ Mr. ThurtleThe total staff employed in the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Information is 366. Of these 231 are men of which number 123 are of military age, made up of 115 who are reserved under the current Schedule of Reservations, three who are medically unfit and five who are awaiting calling up.
§ Sir A. KnoxCould not some of these younger men be more usefully employed in the Services? At any rate they would do less harm there.
§ Mr. ThurtleMy hon. and gallant Friend will realise that the men he refers to are in reserved categories; therefore, even if they were engaged elsewhere, they would still be reserved.
§ Sir A. KnoxWhy would they still be reserved?
§ Sir P. HurdIs it not a fact that the question of the reservation of these men has been brought under the report of Lord Rennet's Committee?
§ Mr. ThurtleI could not answer that Question without notice.