§ 57. Sir T. Mooreasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women have been compulsorily enrolled for fire-watching; how many claims for exemption have been received and how many have been granted up to the latest available date?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Home Security (Miss Wilkinson)Owing to the amount of work involved I have riot as yet asked local authorities to furnish returns of the number of women enrolled for Fire Guard duties. Up to 30th April, 1943, 61,272 women had been exempted from these duties under the Compulsory Enrolment Order by the Tribunals on the ground of exceptional hard- 534 ship. In addition various classes of women (including women with young children in their care and women performing certain forms of part-time service) are exempt under the Order; the appropriate authorities have power also to exempt women on account of exceptionally long hours of work; and, women, like men, can be exempted on medical grounds. Definite statistics are not available but it is likely that, having regard to the various exemptions, not more than one woman of the prescribed age out of every five is liable for enrolment by the local authority for Fire Guard duties.
§ Sir T. MooreIn view of the welcome return of the Prime Minister, I do not propose to ask a Supplementary Question.