HC Deb 25 January 1949 vol 460 cc110-1W
116. Mr. Lang

asked the Minister of Labour how many members of the Polish Resettlement Corps are awaiting emigration facilities; how many are severely disabled; and if he will provide an age-group analysis of those remaining in the Polish Resettlement Corps.

Mr. Isaacs

Two thousand and eighty-seven members of the Polish Resettlement Corps are awaiting emigration facilities. About 800 officers and men who are still in the Corps are badly disabled. Of the 14,000 or so present members of the Corps, about 50 per cent. of both officers and men are over 40 years of age, and 21 per cent. of the officers and 13 per cent. of the men are over 50 years of age.

117. Mr. Lang

asked the Minister of Labour in how many cases have members of the Polish Resettlement Corps been deprived of military pay because of refusal to accept suitable employment.

118. Mr. I. O. Thomas

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are taken to deal with members of the Polish Resettlement Corps who refuse offers of reasonable employment.

Mr. Isaacs

Members of the Polish Resettlement Corps who persistently refuse offers of employment are reported to a tribunal. If the tribunal is satisfied that the refusal was not reasonable, the Pole concerned is compulsorily discharged from the Corps unless at that stage he agrees to take a job within a specified period. This procedure has greatly improved the position. Most men dealt with by the tribunals withdraw their objections, and in only four cases has it so far been necessary to discharge them.

119. Mr. I. O. Thomas

asked the Minister of Labour when the Polish Resettlement Corps was set up; how many have been enrolled in it; how many have been placed in civil employment; and how many remain to be placed in employment.

Mr. Isaacs

The Polish Resettlement Corps was formed in September, 1946, and 114,000 Poles joined it. About 78,000 have been placed in civilian employment to date, and at the end of 1948 aproximately 14,600 remained to be resettled in civil life. The balance is made up by about 20,000 who have emigrated or been repatriated.