§ 49. Mr. Dribergasked the Prime Minister how many men serving in the R.N., the Army and the R.A.F., respectively, have volunteered in recent months for work in the coalmines; how many such applications have been accepted; and how many of the men concerned have now been actually transferred to the industry.
Major Lloyd GeorgeI have been asked to reply. As the reply is rather long and contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The information is as follows:I regret that statistics are not available showing the total number of volunteers, including those who are found not to be within the categories and age limits eligible for release. The following is the available information:—
§ A.—Men with previous underground experience
§ Royal Navy and Royal Marines
§ Up to 15th April the Admiralty had sent to my Ministry particulars of 1,958 men who appear to satisfy the conditions governing eligibility for release and they expect to be able to offer approximately 500 more. Before my Ministry ask for the man's release steps are taken in each case to check his claim to have had previous experience and arrangements have to be made to place him either with his previous employer or elsewhere. The following was the position at 15th April: 20
| Applications for release sent to Admiralty by my Ministry | 327 |
| Released | 100 |
| Release instructions issued by Admiralty but men not known to have left units | 140 |
| Release instructions to be issued within the next few days | 87 |
§ The remaining 1,631 men are under consideration in my Ministry and applications for release will be made as soon as previous experience has been confirmed and offers of underground employment obtained.
§ Army
§ Up to 15 April, 1944, 6,867 applications for release had been sent to the War Office by my Ministry with the following result:
| On release at 15th April | 3,701 |
| Released and subsequently recalled | 142 |
| Found to be ineligible for release by the War Office | 2,614 |
| Under consideration by the War Office at 15th April | 410 |
§ Royal Air Force
§ Up to 15th April the Air Ministry had sent to my Ministry particulars of 614 men who appear to satisfy the conditions governing eligibility for release. The following was the position at 15th April:
| Applications for release sent to Air Ministry by my Ministry | 291 |
| Released | 51 |
| Release instruction issued by Air Ministry but men not known to have let units | 240 |
§ The remaining 323 men are under consideration in my Ministry and applications for release will be made as soon as previous experience has been confirmed and offers of underground employment obtained.
§ B.—Men with no previous underground experience
§ I am advised that the numbers are as follows:
| Number of releases agreed by the Services up to 15th April | |
| Royal Navy and Royal Marines | 954 |
| Army | 2,045 |
| Royal Air Force | 71 |
| Number of whom now working in coal mines or training at Training Centres | |
| Royal Navy and Royal Marines | 195 |
| Army | 1,941 |
| Royal Air Force | 23 |