§ Captain LOSEBYasked the Secretary of State for Air what is the total number of non-service personnel of all gradings retained at Farnborough; whether a Substitution Committee was set up for this station, and, if not, why; and whether, in view of the greater number of ex-service men, technical, clerical and industrial, now out of work, he will cause a comprehensive investigation to be made and substitution effected wherever possible?
Captain GUESTThe answer to the first question is 742; to the second, in the272W affirmative, but, as the very great majority of the employés are industrials, to whom the substitution scheme does not apply at all, while nearly all the remainder are non-substitutable as being either pensionable civil servants, members of the pre-War staff, or women engaged on women's work, there remain only 39 substitutable posts, and for these the Joint Substitution Board are endeavouring to find suitable candidates. As regards the last question, the whole position has just been investigated, and I do not consider that anything more can be done.