Mr. TALBOTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state how many women messengers and how many men are now employed at the Admiralty; how many messengers were employed in June, 1914, and if any of them were women; and if it is possible now to employ discharged sailors and soldiers instead of the women now employed?
§ Sir J. CRAIGThere are at present 210 men messengers employed in Admiralty Departments in London, and 55 women. Of the latter, 27 are under notice of discharge, and the remainder are employed in buildings temporarily occupied away from headquarters buildings in Whitehall. There is no intention of employing women messengers over the age of 21 as a permanency, and naval and marine pensioners will be appointed in all vacancies. Female messengers under the age of 21 are only being employed to replace boys. In June, 1914, there were 135 men messengers and no women.