§ Captain Pluggeasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, despite the Government's pledge that ex-service men will be given preference of employment in temporary clerical posts in the Government service, non-ex-service staffs have recently been appointed temporarily to clerical posts in certain of His Majesty's Dockyards; that ex-service men with clerical qualifications and in some cases with previous Government service are registered as unemployed in the Employment Exchanges of the towns concerned; and whether he will ensure that the necessary steps are taken to bring to 212W an end this evasion of the Government's pledge to ex-service men?
Mr. CooperI assume that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the employment of a small number of storehouse assistants and storehouse boys on office work. This arrangement has been necessitated by the great expansion of work in the dockyards, which made it essential to find, very urgently, staff with some experience for the duties in question. It has, however, been made clear that the arrangement is a purely temporary one. Evey endeavour is being made to obtain suitable permanent clerical staff, and the storehouse grades will then be returned to their ordinary duties.