12. Mr. Astorasked the Secretary of State for War whether Auxiliary Territorial Service officers are being trained for staff appointments of an administrative nature?
§ Sir J. GriggYes, Sir. A.T.S. officers have attended the School of Military Administration for some time and a special Staff College for A.T.S. officers was opened on 26th November.
Mr. AstorWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that answer, may I ask whether he will consider recruiting women with university education or business experience, especially for this type of work, and so relieve men?
§ Sir J. GriggIf the hon. Member means recruiting them specially without going through the ranks, I should want to have very careful notice of that.
27. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement with regard to the payment of 983 family allowances to widows with dependent children serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service?
§ Sir J. GriggFamily allowances will in future be paid to widows in the who have dependent children. The rates of the allowances and the conditions under which they will be issued will in general be the same as for soldiers with motherless children. I understand that similar arrangements will be made in the Navy and in the Air Force.
Miss WardMay I take it that that is an earnest that other anomalies relating to this category of serving A.T.S. officers and other ranks will also be put right?
§ Sir J. GriggThe hon. Lady may take the answer for exactly what it says.
Viscountess AstorWould it not have been better if the right hon. Gentleman had been fairer to women in the first place instead of having to be kicked into it?