§ Mr. PARTINGTONasked the right hon. Member for Barnard Castle, as representing the Ministry of National Service, whether he can state the number of women who have been enrolled under the National Service scheme, and how many have been found employment?
§ Mr. S. WALSHMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. In response to the statement published by the War Office regarding the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, 35,000 women have registered at the National Service Department. Applicants are being selected by the War Office authorities for service abroad—for which at present they require some 5,500—as rapidly as they can make the necessary arrangements for their accommodation, and at present 146 women have been so selected. The appeal for the Women's Land Army was made more recently, and enrolment forms are only now beginning to come in; 2,473 have been received up to the 3rd April, and a commencement has been made with the selection of candidates for instruction in agricultural work. The interviewing of such candidates is proceeding daily.
§ Mr. WILESasked the Postmaster-General why, in General Order No. 25/17, dated 29th March, asking for women to volunteer for military telegraph and telephone work in France, it is stated that the conditions will probably be as follows instead of definitely giving the conditions?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThe conditions laid down in the Circular to which the hon. Member refers may now be regarded as definite.