§ Brigadier-General SURTEESasked the Secretary of State for War if he can give the number of demobilised officers who are out of employment; what recent action has been taken by his Department to find them work; if any part of the War Office staff devotes its energies to finding openings for these men, many of whom are married and are suffering serious hardships; and how many such officers have been found berths in Government Departments during the last 12 months?
§ Sir R. HORNEI have been asked to reply to this question, as the resettlement in civil life of officers and others requiring professional and business appointments is entrusted to the Appointments Department of the Ministry of Labour. The number of ex-officers excluding other ranks now on the books of the Department requiring employment is 7,318. As regards the action recently taken to find work for these gentlemen, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the long statement which I made in an answer given to the hon. Member for South Islington on the 18th February. The number of ex-officers who have been placed in Government Departments since May last, apart from those employed in the Appointments Department, is 2,489.