HC Deb 28 January 1947 vol 432 c171W
101. Mr. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for War how many stokers are employed on Ludford aerodrome, Lincolnshire; what are their civilian occupations; and why the unemployed Poles are not doing this work for themselves.

109. Mr. Beswick

asked the Secretary of State for War how many civilians of non-Polish nationality are employed as boiler stokers at the Polish Corps camp near Ludford, Lincolnshire.

Mr. Bellenger

Of the nine British civilians employed on stoking duties at Ludford Camp, I understand that two were engaged for a short period in December in lifting sugar beet but that their normal occupation is not that of agricultural worker. Three of the nine are stokers, two general labourers, one a lorry driver, one a boiler riveter, and two are ex-soldiers whose civilian occupations are not recorded. None of the Poles at the camp have any knowledge of the valuable type of boiler and plant in use there and I am not at present prepared to release any of these men.