§ Sir W. Darlingasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the Admiralty staff peacetime establishment was 9,484 and is now 52,000, War Office 6,089 now 62,000, Air Minis try 3,352 now 34,000, and that wartime Ministries of Transport and Food employ 14,000 and 40,000, respectively; and what steps he proposes to take in view of shortage of labour, to release these establishments.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallThe hon. Member is comparing figures of certain civil staffs employed in the Service Departments on 1st April, 1937,* with the recent returns. of all civil staffs employed in those Departments on 1st October, 1945.† Increases have been necessary owing to the 127W expansion of the Armed Forces. With the end of the wars in Europe and in the Far East, reductions in civil staffs of the Service Departments were set in motion without delay, the October, 1945, returns showing 10,000 fewer staff than were employed at the peak period at the beginning of 1945. Reductions have since proceeded at a somewhat increased tempo and further reductions will be made at an accelerated pace during coming months. In view, however, of the duties, unconnected with the conduct of the war, which fall to be discharged by the Service Departments, and by the Ministries of Transport and Food, there can be no hope at this stage of a return to the 1937 staffing position.'
* Cmd. 5543: The 1937 figures did not include blocks of out stationed staff numbering
- (a)in the case of the War Office—over 7,000;
- (b)in the case of the Air Ministry—over 6,000.
† Cmd. 6718.