HC Deb 24 October 1944 vol 404 cc11-2
26. Miss Ward

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, for demobilisation purposes, widows with dependent children rank as married women.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. McCorquodale)

I have been asked to reply. I assume my hon. Friend refers to re-allocation between the Forces and industry during the interim period. For this purpose widows with dependent children will not rank as married women, but they will be eligible to be considered sympathetically for release on compassionate grounds

Miss Ward

Would not my hon. Friend agree that married women with no children whose husbands are having to serve in the war, and widows with dependent children are not quite in the same category?

Mr. De la Bère

Is there not too much allocation? The matter ought to be gone into.