§ Mr. C. Wilsonasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Defence Departments employ a 1413W smaller percentage of disabled and other ex-service men than any other Government Department; and whether there is any explanation for this?
§ Captain Wallace:I presume the hon. Member has in mind the figures given in the statement relating to the employment of ex-service men in Government Departments on the 1st April, 1937 (Command Paper No. 5536). These figures show that the percentages of disabled ex-service men of total staff were in the case of the Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry 5.92, 10.61 and 12.50 respectively. So far as the two latter Departments are concerned, the percentage is not out of scale with that obtaining in many other Departments. The fact that a substantial proportion of the Admiralty staff belong to the shipbuilding, engineering and allied industries, members employed in which were during the War largely retained on work of national importance, chiefly accounts for the smaller proportion of disabled men employed under the Admiralty. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the normal percentage fixed for the purpose of the King's National Roll is 5 per cent.
As regards ex-service, as distinct from disabled, men, similar considerations apply in the case of the Admiralty. In the case of the War Office and Air Ministry, there are appended to the main statement footnotes explaining that it does not include some 7,200 and 6,200 staff employed at the respective out-stations of the two Departments. If these staffs are included, the percentage of ex-service men of total staff is in the case of the War Office 59 per cent. and of the Air Ministry 53½. per cent.