§ Colonel Carverasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the nation's urgent need of all available manpower, he will consider in future utilising the services of qualified women veterinary surgeons as veterinary inspectors, so as to avoid the necessity of employing men of military age to fill such appointments?
1689W
Mr. HudsonI must remind by hon. Friend that veterinary surgeons of all ages, whether employed in the Ministry or elsewhere, are reserved from service in H.M. Forces. The admission of qualified women veterinary surgeons to the Ministry's veterinary inspectorate is at present under consideration but in view of the large number of vacancies in this inspectorate their admission would not avoid the necessity of employing male veterinary surgeons.