WOMEN'S LAND ARMY.

HC Deb 27 March 1941 vol 370 cc713-4W

Sir F. Sanderson

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the Government is calling for more women on the land, that those now serving have been specially trained at Government expense and have in many cases gained valuable experience at their work, he will consider classing members of the Women's Land Army in the same category as women in the Armed Forces and full-time paid nurses and not require them to register, as they will be presumably required to remain on the land?

Mr. Bevin

Women actually serving with the Armed Forces either in the women's services or in the nursing services, are excluded from the Registration for Employment Order by the terms of the Order itself. No exceptions are being made to the requirement to register which is being placed on all women of the age classes 20 and 21 to whom the Order applies. Members of the Women's Land Army must, therefore, register but it is not intended to send them to other work unless they leave that service.