§ Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that soldiers are accepting Class B release on a misunderstanding due to failure of the regulations to define work of national reconstruction and instead of returning to work with their former employers, as was expected on accepting release, they are directed to other employers because their former employers were not engaged on work of national reconstruction; and will he amend the regulations accordingly.
§ Mr. IsaacsA soldier who is offered release under the Class B block release procedure is informed that, subject to any exceptional requirements of national reconstruction, he will be sent to employment near his home if suitable employment is available and to his former employer if he has a suitable vacancy on work of national reconstruction of the kind for which the soldier has been released. It would not be practicable to give an exhaustive definition of work of national reconstruction to soldiers being offered Class B release, but even if it were practicable it would not ensure that they would know whether or not their former employers were engaged on such work.
Mr. Sorensonasked the Minister of Labour the number of men now being released weekly under Class B and their main categories.
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§ Mr. IsaacsDuring the fortnight 1st to 15th November, the latest period for which figures are available, the total numbers released from the Forces in Class B were 13,672. The main categories are: workers in the building and civil engineering and ancillary industries, school teachers and coalminers.