HC Deb 28 February 1946 vol 419 cc2104-6
53. Colonel Stoddart-Scott

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women will have been demobilised from the Services in January and February of this year; how many he expects to be demobilised in March and April; is the number of men and women demobilised each week keeping up to the rate promised by the Prime Minister; and will it continue in March and April.

Mr. Isaacs

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the interim statement on releases and discharges from the Forces from January to June which I made on 14th February, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. T. Macpherson) and to the answer I gave on 26th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Flight-Lieutenant Beswick).

Colonel Stoddart-Scott

Is the Minister aware that this slowing down of demobilisation is quite contrary to the promise given by the Prime Minister to this House before Christmas?

Mr. Isaacs

No, Sir. With reference to the slowing down of demobilisation, I would ask the House to bear in mind the statement made in the early autumn of last year that 1,500,000 persons would be brought out by the end of the year— an average of 300,000 a month. In January of this year close upon half a million—considerably more than 450,000—were brought out. That is not a slowing down, and is maintaining the pledge given by the Prime Minister.

Miss Bacon

Would the Minister consider making available a printed or duplicated statement on this matter, which hon. Members could send in reply to the many letters which they are receiving?

Mr. Isaacs

Yes, Sir. That shall be done.

Captain Blackburn

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the proposed slowing up in the average rate of releases in March, April and May is already causing grave discontent in the Services, and will he take steps to explain in detail the reasons for this slowing up?

Mr. Isaacs

I am afraid that some of it has been due to misrepresentation of the facts.

Flight-Lieutenant Beswick

Is it not a fact that the trouble is due to the original figure being given as the maximum which it would be possible to move home in view of the transportation bottleneck, and that every explanation given up to the present has laid emphasis upon transport? Now, when transport is available, the men see the rate cut almost by half and it is causing serious discontent.

Mr. Isaacs

There may be some misunderstanding which I hope to put right in the statement asked for by the hon. Member for North-East Leeds (Miss Bacon). However, with reference to transport, the hon. and gallant Member is absolutely wrong. Transport difficulties were overcome at the end of last year and we have not referred to transport difficulties with regard to this year's discharges.

57. Mr. Warbey

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement giving the reasons for the apparent disparity between the releases from the Navy and from the other Services; and the reasons for the decline in the weekly rate of releases after the end of February.

Mr. Isaacs

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 26th February to my hon. Friends the Members for Uxbridge (Flight-Lieutenant Beswick) and the Drake Division of Ply-mouth (Mr. Medland), copies of which I am sending. him.

Mr. Warbey

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate the effect on the minds of men and women in the Services who have to listen round a wireless set to news coming from an overseas station of bald announcements of new demobilisation plans which appear to contain discrepancies? Will he consider how the fears of those concerned can be allayed by full, frank and authoritative statements of the reasons for Government decisions?

Mr. Isaacs

I am afraid the hon. Member did not hear the answer I gave to another hon. Member below the Gang way.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Will the Minister take particular care to ask the Service Departments to inform Service personnel through Service channels of the various statements on the subject of demobilisation in this House as this would obviate a lot of unnecessary correspondence?

Mr. Isaacs

I think there is a great deal of value in what my hon. and gallant Friend says.