HC Deb 15 August 1940 vol 364 cc975-6W
Sir R. Gower

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether, in view of the fact that a considerable number of persons with technical and scientific qualifications are still unsuitably employed in various sections of the Army, he will consider the desirability of setting up a small joint committee of Army personnel authorities and representatives of scientific and technical bodies, in order to find means of transferring such individuals to positions in the Army where they will be of maximum use;

(2) whether, in the national interest, arrangements can be made in suitable cases to transfer qualified gas engineers, at present serving in the Army, to either the chemical warfare section of the Royal Engineers, the hydrogen manufacture and balloon barrage department of the Air Ministry, or munition factories of the Ministry of Supply?

Mr. Eden

The Army is fully alive to the necessity of utilising the technical and scientific knowledge of its personnel to the fullest possible extent. With this object in view, a comprehensive and detailed investigation has been in progress for the past 11 months, with the result that some 13,000 skilled technicians have been, or are about to be, transferred within the Army to positions in which they can be fully employed in a trade appropriate to their skill. Very considerable assistance has been, and continues to be, given by the trade unions, employers of labour and others who are continually bringing to notice the names of men whom they believe to be misplaced in the Army. Transfers of tradesmen within the Army have necessarily been considerably curtailed recently owing to the military situation, but, as soon as circumstances permit, large-scale transfers will be resumed. In special individual cases, transfers are still taking place. Applications for transfer to the Royal Air Force are sympathetically considered if the transfer would be in the national interest. Releases for munition work are entertained on the recommendations of Government Departments, and many thousands of men have been released in this way.