§ 125. Mr. Edward Daviesasked the Minister of Labour how many vacancies exist for factory inspectors; and what steps are being taken to bring the present strength up to full establishment.
§ Sir W. MoncktonThere are at present 30 vacancies. This figure will be reduced to 22 if the remaining eight successful candidates from the autumn, 1951, competition accept appointment. Two open competitions will again be held this year.
§ 126. Mr. Edward Daviesasked the Minister of Labour for how many years the shortage of factory inspectors has existed; whether he will quote comparative figures for the last five years; and to what reasons he attributes the continuing shortage.
§ Sir W. MoncktonRecruitment was suspended during the war years and there84W was therefore an accumulation of vacancies when open competitions were resumed in 1947. The number of vacancies at 1st March in each of the last five years was as follows:
1948, 32; 1949, 50; 1950, 56; 1951, 49; 1952, 30The main reason for the continuing shortage is the heavy demand in both industry and Government service for persons with qualifications similar to those required in recruits for the factory inspectorate.