§ Sir R. Rossasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that there are several hundred unemployed men, some of whom are ex-Service men, on the Londonderry employment exchange and, in view of this, what were the circumstances which led recently to the employment of 11 men from Eire of military age, none of whom were ex-Service men, by Admiralty establishments at Londonderry?
Mr. AlexanderI have recently learned that there are now a number of men1490W registered as unemployed at the Londonderry employment exchange. The normal practice is for Admiralty establishments to notify vacancies to the local exchange and to fill these vacancies from candidates with the necessary qualifications submitted by the exchange. Of the 11 persons referred to, eight were domiciled in Northern Ireland. Seven of the total number are seamen whose services were required for the operation of small civilian-manned craft. Of the remaining four, one was a woman cleaner sent by the employment exchange, and the other three were entered after all suitable candidates submitted by the local exchange had been absorbed.