Lieut.-Colonel Sir P. RICHARDSON(1) asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Joint Substitution Board have officially stated that there are over 1,100 posts now held by women in the Civil Service which they consider substitutable; why such substitution was not effected before the discharge of 300 ex-service men from the Kew claims and record office;
(2) asked the Chancellor of to Exchequer whether, seeing that the Joint Substitution Board has at present on its books the names of over 2,000 unemployed ex-service men and that it has been officially stated that there are over 1,100 substitutable posts amongst women still employed in the Civil Service, he will say why immediate steps have not been taken to get rid of these women in order to make room for the unemployed ex-service men?
§ Mr. BALDWIN:I am aware that at the end of last year approximately 1,100 women, according to statistics obtained, were employed in posts which were capable of being filled eventually by ex, service men, in so far as the duties were not coming to an end. In many cases these women are employed upon work which is rapidly terminating and their replacement by new personnel on the eve of the completion of their tasks would be extremely wasteful. In other cases substitution is proceeding as rapidly as is consistent with the efficient conduct of the business of the employing Department, in view of the fact that these officers are the residue of a very much larger number by a continuous and severe process of substitution.