asked the Minister of Labour what is the total amount of public expenditure which has been incurred up to date on the training of ex-service and civilian women, respectively, for other careers than that of domestic service apart from funds provided from the Central Committee on Women's Employment, and not obtained from taxation; what figure has the total expenditure on similar training for ex-service men reached to date; and whether the non-combatant home-service men employed in such units as Army pay and records offices were eligible for the latter, and had, in fact, received them?

The expenditure incurred by my Department to date on the training of women is approximately £292,000. Separate figures are not available for the expenditure upon ex-service and non-ex-service women or upon training for domestic and other careers. The expenditure incurred by my Department to date on training ex-service men is approximately £21,600,000. In addition, considerable sums have been expended by other Government Departments upon the training of ex-officers and men. No distinction has been drawn by my Department between home and overseas service when deciding eligibility for industrial training, but the conditions laid down (such as inability on account of disablement to follow pre-War occupation) have in practice excluded nearly all home-service men.