§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the Minister of National Service whether, in calling up the technical and cost clerks of the various manufacturers above the age of twenty-five who have to compete in their 865W work with the technical and costs clerks in the Ministry of Munitions, he will deal on equal principle and not limit the Department comb-out to twenty-five; and whether he is aware that, dealing with different persons of different ages for work of equal value in different ways, he is giving a distinct advantage to the Munitions Department?
§ Mr. BECKMy hon. Friend is mistaken in supposing that all technical and cost clerks in the Ministry of Munitions above twenty-five years of age are allowed to be retained. The staff of that Department, in common with that of all Government Departments, is constantly reviewed, and while it is true that the clean-cut is put at twenty-five, this does not imply that none above that age are released for service. As a matter of fact, I am informed that there are on the technical staff of the Costing Department of the Ministry of Munitions, including costing engineers and qualified accountants, at the most five men who would be affected by the Order of the 9th April, and their average age is thirty-three. My hon. Friend must not assume that I agree with the suggestion conveyed in the latter part of the question that all industrial establishments are of equal value with that of the Ministry of Munitions.