HC Deb 18 November 1953 vol 520 c1699
10. Mr. Beswick

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many temporary clerks have been discharged in the past two years from the Records Office, Ruislip.

Mr. Ward

Eighty-two, all of whom were discharged before the office closed down on 16th of May, 1952.

Mr. Beswick

As the Under-Secretary has been short of clerical officers, would it not have been possible to promote some of these temporary clerks and employ them elsewhere?

Mr. Ward

At that time there were no vacancies for temporary clerks at the Air Ministry. Therefore, we could not employ them there, but we did everything we could for them at the Employment Exchanges. I understand that at the time no dissatisfaction was expressed.

Mr. Beswick

Possibly there were no vacancies for temporary clerks, but on the Minister's own showing there were vacancies for clerical officers; I am asking if it would not have been possible to promote some of these men and given them other jobs?

Mr. Ward

We had no vacancies for established clerical officers that were not filled by the established clerical officers we had.