HC Deb 11 November 1941 vol 374 cc2061-2W
Sir Smedley Crooke

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the number of young women available for munition work or the services who have registered in their age groups but are still waiting to be interviewed owing to the pressure of this and other work put on to the staff of Employment Exchanges, he will consider the advisability of utilising the services of older women to do the necessary interviewing who are capable and willing to do the work voluntarily, and thus help to expedite the placing of the young women in positions for which they are suited?

Mr. Bevin

The women staff in the managerial or supervisory grades at the Employment Exchanges has already been greatly increased but I shall not hesitate to increase it further if necessary. I would point out that there is no advantage in interviewing women already engaged on important work, who constitute a large proportion of those registered, and I may say that good progress has been made in interviewing those who are prima facie available for transfer?