§ 8. Mr. Simmonsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many of the 677 staff, referred to in Command Paper No. 9400 as being the figure of reduction, are accounted for by way of transfer to the Ministry of Health on duties performed by the Ministry of Pensions before the merger; and how many by way of transfer to the National Assistance Board.
§ Mr. SimmonsCan the Minister then explain where these reductions have taken place and whether they affect the personal relationship between the war pensions side of his work and the individual pensioners?
§ Mr. PeakeThe reduction in the numbers employed by my Ministry is due partly to normal wastage and partly to a reduction by the discharge of 580 casual staff who had been engaged in issuing tokens for milk and other welfare foods to children and expectant mothers under the agency arrangements on behalf of the Ministry of Food.
§ Mr. NabarroA very satisfactory answer.