§ Mr. A. HERBERTasked the Prime Minister whether, in certain circumstances, immediate financial help can be given to ex-service men with special qualifications instead of a long and costly training for a trade for which they have no special qualification, seeing that such 1197W a policy would be more immediately beneficial to the men themselves and more economical from the taxpayer's point of view?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have been asked to reply. I am not clear as to my hon. Friend's meaning when he uses the phrase "men with special qualifications," but he is no doubt aware that no ex-service man is eligible for industrial training unless it is proved that his disability precludes him from returning to his pre-War occupation, and that as far as possible such men are allowed to choose from among the types of training which are considered most suitable for them. In framing their original policy of industrial training for disabled ex-service men, full consideration was given by the Government to proposals such as that put forward by my hon. Friend, but it was not possible, to adopt them. I might add that the scheme of grants made by the Civil Liabilities Department of the Ministry of Labour goes some way to meet my hon. Friend's wishes. Under this scheme, among other provisions lump sum grants are made, to enable applicants to purchase stock and fittings to re-start their old business. In certain exceptional cases, these grants are also made to officers and men whose disablement is such as to make it impossible for them to resume their pre-War occupations.