§ MR. A. SHORTasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he is aware that 800 ex-Service men are under notice of dismissal from the Royal Air Force Depot at Milton; whether any effort is being made to secure these men other employment; and whether, in view of the hardship involved in throwing these men out of employment at the beginning of the winter months, he will consider the possibility of retaining their services until the spring or, alternatively, make the process of reduction more gradual?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe reply to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's ques-646W tion is in the affirmative. The future strength of the Royal Air Force has now been fixed, and it will be possible to release Royal Air Force personnel from redundant stations elsewhere to serve at Milton. The reply to the second part is that efforts are being made to obtain other employment for the men discharged by giving them as long notice as possible, and by forwarding the names and trades of the men under notice both to the Ministry of Labour (locally and at headquarters) and to the Disposal Board of the Ministry of Munitions, the latter of whom, I understand, is likely to require a number of men of the type now being discharged. The case of the men is receiving my close attention, and efforts are being made to reduce the alleged hardship by the granting of increased notice of discharge.