Major Freemanasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulties under which local authorities are working at present owing to shortage of staff; and, having regard to the amount of work which will fall on local authorities as a result of legislation arising out of the King's Speech and as a result of the municipal elections in November, whether he will take all possible steps to expedite the release of local government officials from the Armed Forces.
§ Mr. BevanYes, Sir. I am doing everything I can to expedite the release of local government staff heeded for essential reconstruction work, within the limits set by the White Paper on the Re-allocation of Man-power which has been approved by the House of Commons and will, as the Government has already announced, be followed in principle in any expedited system of release which can now be adopted.