Mr. LEVERTON HARRISasked the Under-Secretary for War whether a request has been forwarded to the War Office from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce that an expert mechanic, named Horace Gee, may be allowed to return to his work at Redditch, he having enlisted; whether he is aware that the services of Gee are required to make needles and parts of machines for making boots, there being at the present time a shortage of these needles and parts, and that his former employers have stated that they are quite unable to keep the boot trade supplied without the services of Gee, and that they have 30,000 machine needles and awls under order which they are unable to supply; and, seeing that this shortage is likely to have a prejudicial effect in the rate of production of boots for the Army, whether the War Office will give Gee permission to return?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe hon. Member has shown me privately a letter which he has received from the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce on the case referred to. My Noble Friend is unable to intervene in the matter, as the shortage of machine needles and awls is not having the prejudicial effect on the rate of production of boots for the Army which the hon. Member suggests.