HC Deb 29 July 1942 vol 382 c526W
Mr. W. Brown

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what changes have been made, or are contemplated, in the arrangements for the release of women civil servants to take up war work; and whether he is prepared to release women with first-aid, or other qualifications, who are anxious to use these qualifications in the national effort?

Captain Crookshank

Departments have been authorised since the beginning of 1939 to release women civil servants for nursing or first-aid services, irrespective of their age or grade, provided they can be spared. That position is unaltered. In addition, Departments were instructed in December, 1941, to release a proportion of young and mobile women officers in the clerical and sub-clerical grades for recruitment to the women's forces, the nursing and Civil Defence services, and vital war industries. Names of officers available for release have accordingly been forwarded to the local offices of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. The method of selecting for release women in the clerical and sub-clerical grades was left to each Department, but I understand that in most cases they called for volunteers, and thus women in these grades possessing special qualifications have had an opportunity of volunteering for the service they prefer.