Dr. Russell Thomasasked the Minister of Labour whether farmers are applying for deferment of their employees, in view of the progressive raising of the ages of reserved occupation under paragraph 10; and to what extent they are refusing to employ women?
§ Mr. BevinThe allocation of men in agricultural occupations to the Forces or Civil Defence Services is subject to a special scheme, and, with a few exceptions, occupations peculiar to agriculture are not subject to progressive age raising. Applications for deferment of calling up of men in those occupations are considered by war agricultural executive committees, who have regard to the possibility of substitution by women.