§ Mr. TURTONasked the Minister of Health whether, for the purpose of enabling the Census Order, 1920, to be carried into effect, he is prepared to give directions that the Registrar-General shall, so far as is practicable, appoint ex-service men to act as enumerators?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have given very close consideration to the question of the use of unemployed ex-service men as enumerators and otherwise in connection with the census and have been in touch with organisations specially concerned in their interests. The difficulty as regards enumerators is that the arrangements for obtaining the large number required have had to be concerted well in advance of the census, though the period of actual employment will be for a few days only. The above conditions render the appointments generally unsuitable for offer exclusively to unemployed ex-service men as their efforts to obtain regular work in the interval before the census would be hampered and if, through having obtained such employment, they made default they1824W would be liable to a penalty of £10, apart from any question of damage to the census. In the circumstnces I have thought that the arguments against using unemployed ex-service men exclusively in this way were conclusive and I have been confirmed in this view by the action of various ex-service men who applied for the employment but withdrew on ascertaining the conditions. I have accordingly confined myself to making the utmost possible use of them in other ways, as for example on the specially engaged headquarters staff.
§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the Secretary of State for War how many women are now employed in the Navy and Army Canteen Board's canteen of the Crowborough camp; why it is necessary to employ women rather than ex-service men; and whether he can arrange to replace some of the women by some of the many ex-service men living in Crowborough and now unemployed?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONI am informed that the total number of women employed by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes in the various institutes conducted by them at Crowborough Camp is 12 at the present date. The policy governing the employment of ex-service men and women in regimental institutes has been fully explained in previous answers given in this House, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to-the hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Davison) on the 15th December last.