§ Major Lyonsasked the Secretary of State for War whether skilled electrical welders now serving in the Army are to any extent surplus to military requirement in their own trade; and whether any such can be given temporary release for work in their own trade on armament production?
§ Captain MargessonI am always willing to consider The temporary release of individual men from the Army where a sufficiently strong case is made out and provided it is supported by the Government Department directly concerned as 1803W well as by the Ministry of Labour and National Service. So far as welders are concerned, however, there is at present a shortage of this type of tradesman in the Army, and until existing deficiencies have been made up, I am afraid that there is little prospect of making any of these men available for industry.