§ Sir ELLIS HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour what progress is being made by the new employment bureau of his Department; what steps are being taken to bring it to the notice of employers; what sums are being spent on advertising; how many officers have actually obtained civilian employment through this bureau; and how many are being trained in it for civilian employment.
§ Mr. G. ROBERTSThe Appointments Department of the Ministry, which was set up to assist officers and men of like standing to obtain training and employment, now has an organisation throughout the United Kingdom, which is divided for the purpose into eleven districts. The staff consists almost exclusively of officers and ex-officers. The principal duty of the stall of each district is to get into touch with employers and chambers of commerce, and this work is being actively carried on. Several thousand vacancies have been notified to the Department; 5,240 calls have been received for officers and men on the Department's books, and it is known that of these 1,034 have obtained appointments. The actual number is probably considerably larger, but applicants frequently do not notify the Department when they obtain appointments. There are more than 1,500 convalescent officers at present338W being trained, some of them at universities and technical institutions, others with employers. Now that the work of the Department is becoming better known it is hoped that these figures will be considerably increased in the near future. The Minister considers it of great importance that all officers who are able to do so should avail themselves of the opportunity of obtaining training during their period of convalescence. The experience of the Department has clearly shown the great value of such training with a view to the finding of suitable employment afterwards.