asked the Minister of National Insurance why the concessions of allowances for the removal expenses, cost of travel and lodging, have been withdrawn from temporary civil servants who have, at his request, agreed to be transferred away from their homes in Blackpool to fund offices in other parts of the country.

Members of the temporary staff were invited to volunteer for transfer to fund offices on the footing that they would receive temporary transfer allowances for the first three months, and that they would then be given the option of remaining at a fund office without further payment of allowances or of returning to Blackpool. Where, however, a married officer or an officer with equivalent responsibilities has elected to remain at a fund office, I have decided to offer him the alternative of permanent transfer terms.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make quite certain that none of the staff covered by this Question have been deprived of their travelling allowances once they have become permanently attached to fund offices?

Yes. These permanent transfer terms will, I think, meet the desires of members of the staff.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of ex-Service men and women employed in a temporary capacity in the Civil Service; and what prospects they have of establishment.

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available centrally. As the reply to the second part of the Question is somewhat long, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it not true that there may be 20,000 or 30,000 men who are employed temporarily, and cannot the right hon. Gentleman hold out some hope that they will receive permanent employment at some time?

As the hon. Gentleman will see when he gets HANSARD tomorrow morning, quite a large number of these vacancies are reserved for ex-Service men and women.