§ Mr. Osborneasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that pensioners of the 1914–18 war requiring surgical boots cannot get repairs and renewals done under six months; that this is causing hardship to ex-Servicemen; and if he will take immediate steps to quicken this repair service.
Mr. PalingI have been asked to reply. There is a shortage of skilled labour throughout this small specialised industry. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour is encouraging skilled workers to return, but improvement is by no means rapid. Repairs and renewals of surgical boots for pensioners are at present being carried out more speedily than is the case for orders generally for work of this kind. Except in cases of special difficulty, renewals of surgical boots are carried out by my contractors in much shorter time than six months and repairs are normally completed within a period not exceeding four to six weeks. If the hon. Member will let me have particulars of cases he has in mind I will look into them.