§ Colonel Burtonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider applications from Czechoslovaks now in Great Britain who have special knowledge of the language and customs in response to the advertisements now appearing for technical and administrative posts in liberated countries.
§ Mr. EdenI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, that there are no current advertisements issued by his Department for posts in liberated countries. I presume, therefore, that my hon. and gallant Friend may have in mind the advertisement for technical and scientific personnel of British nationality for employment in the British Element of the Control Commission for Germany which appeared in the Press on 19th March. For this work it is clearly important to employ British subjects wherever possible, and I am not prepared to authorise a modification of the advertisement which would depart from this principle.
§ Major Gatesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he will make a statement to elucidate the advertisement issued by the Ministry of Labour, recently appealing for technical and scientific staff to deal with the future industrial activities of Germany, including armaments, heavy engineering, shipbuilding and aircraft, as this advertisement has caused considerable concern;
(2) if he is aware that after the war there will be a continuing shortage of skilled technicians in this country, whereas in Germany there will be no future armament, shipbuilding or aircraft industries; and if he will therefore reconsider his intention to appoint a Commission containing highly skilled technical personnel to ensure that there is no resurgence in Germany of warlike industries.
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