§ Sir J. LEIGHasked the Minister of Pensions if he will state how many girls and war widows with pensions are employed in the various offices of the Ministry of Pensions; and if attention has been given to the desirability of reducing the number in order to find work for unemployed ex-service men?
1519W
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe number of women employed in a temporary clerical capacity is 3,917, of whom less than 100 are war widows with pensions. The substitution of women by ex-service men has been proceeding for the last two years and the recommendations of the Lytton Committee on this subject have been carried out in full. Women with private incomes or pensions rendering them independent of their earnings were amongst the first to be disbanded. As a result, in the Ministry now, of the male temporary staff, about 99 per cent. are ex-service men.