§ Sir CHARLES HOBHOUSEasked the Minister of National Service whether the work of recruiting women for the Army Services has hitherto been, and is still being, done by the Employment Exchanges; whether it is contemplated to transfer this work to the Ministry of National Service; whether the Ministry has staffs as widely experienced in this precise work; whether the sanction of the Treasury has been sought for the Ministry's proposed arrangement; and whether such sanction has been given or withheld?
§ Mr. BECKIt is proposed that the Employment Exchanges shall continue to recruit women for the Army Services, and no proposal has ever been made that they should cease to do so. The Ministry of National Service is responsible for controlling the recruiting of women, and certain proposals have been submitted to the Treasury and other Departments concerned for co-ordinating and securing economy in this matter. The Treasury have made certain criticisms on these proposals, which have accordingly been amended, and, as I stated in my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Tamworth on the 28th February, are now under consideration.