Mr. Watkinsasked the Minister of Labour how many farm workers have been called up in each of the counties of Wales during the years 1953, 1954 and 1955; and in how many of these cases deferment bad been previously granted.
§ Mr. CarrI regret that information on a county basis is not available. The total numbers of workers called up from agriculture in Wales in 1953, 1954 and 1955 were 189, 218 and 180 respectively, but without expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time it is not possible to say in how many cases deferment had previously been granted.
Mr. Watkinsasked the Minister of Labour the total number of Service men who were registered as farm workers before call-up and who terminated their service during 1953, 1954 and 1956; and how many of these returned to work in agriculture.
§ Mr. CarrThe numbers of agricultural workers called up in 1951, 1952 and 1953 were 4,210, 8,224 and 6,208, respectively. Such of these men as did not extend their engagements would be released after two years' service, but it is not known how many returned to work in agriculture.298W Of 1,036 men, who answered a questionnaire sent in 1954 to men called up from farms in November, 1951, 692 had returned to agriculture at the end of their National Service and a further 29 a year later.