§ Sir J. Leechasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that there is more land employment awaiting women than trained applicants; whether he is taking the initiative to increase facilities for training and providing a supply of women for service under the Women's Land Army committees; and how many unemployed women he is now training for work with cow-keepers to meet the shortage of dairy workers?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI am advised that, except for dairy workers, the supply of trained women volunteers is in advance of the present demand and that in the case of dairy workers, apart from the difficulty that individual requirements cannot always be met at very short notice, demand and supply are about equal. With a view to meeting an increased demand, steps are being taken to increase the number of volunteers trained in dairy work, and as a result about two-thirds of those now at the various training centres are being given extensive milking practice while others are receiving similar training on approved dairy farms. Any farmer who needs a dairy worker may himself train an unskilled volunteer, at public expense, provided his training arrangements can be approved by his Women's Land Army County Committee.