asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-W.A.A.F. officers have been placed in appointments by the Appointments Board.

I regret that this information is not available. Since V.E. Day the Appointments Department has placed 1,075 women ex-officers in employment, but this figure cannot be split between the three Services.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent vocational training schemes for ex-Service men are to be curtailed; and whether the right to training will be preserved.

The extent of the training given under the vocational training scheme has recently been reduced owing, mainly, to the suspension for the present of the training of men for building occupations in large numbers. But the conditions of eligibility for training remain unchanged.

Does the Minister's reply mean that whatever time elapses the right to training will continue?

Yes, Sir, most certainly. The training is going on for small numbers now, but not for the same numbers as before.

Does that mean that there are particular subjects on which the training has been reduced, or that the training has been reduced equally over all the different subjects?

No, Sir. The reduction has mainly taken place in building training. There has been some slight reduction in other industries due to the shortage of raw materials. I will let the hon. Gentleman have particulars of those.

asked the Minister of Labour to what extent the proposal to limit capital expenditure will curtail or delay the opening of the full number of Remploy factories which was originally contemplated.

The programme of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation provides a total of 107 factories eventually. Of these, 12 are already open, and 23 are in course of erection. As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Accrington (Mr. Scott-Elliot) on 6th November, the Government will facilitate the completion of the programme to the maximum extent consistent with the needs of the present economic situation. In addition, it is the intention to make available to the Corporation accommodation in certain Government Training Centres which has now become surplus to training requirements, and to the extent to which this is done, it will accelerate the programme.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to inform employers of their liability to employ a quota of disabled persons under certain conditions under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act; and what proportion of employers are employing their quota.

All the means at my disposal, including the use of leaflets, posters, Press and radio have been used to inform employers of their quota obligations under the Act. Local disablement advisory committees have also assisted in informing employers. The Act requires employers to keep records, and empowers me to inspect them, and this is being done, but precise information about the proportion of employers who are employing their quota is not available.

Did not the right hon. Gentleman promise, of indicate, some months ago that he was getting a return from employers which would show him, either wholly throughout the country, or by sample, what proportion were employing their quota and what were not?

It was not quite that. I did promise to make an investigation, and that is being done. The information is being collected, but, at the moment I cannot give the percentage asked for as to who are employing their quota and who are not. In the main, employers are carrying out their obligations honourably, and we are trying to get the matter straightened up without exerting undue pressure.

In view of the large number of disabled men unemployed, can the right hon. Gentleman say when we shall get the information?

I will let the House have it as soon as the inquiry has been completed.

asked the Minister of Labour what types of production are being carried on in the factories of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the varieties and types of employment now available in the Disabled Persons Employment Centres; and for what categories of disabled persons employment is provided.

The work available to disabled persons employed in the factories of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation varies in the different workshops. As the list is lengthy, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Employment in the Corporation's workshops is provided for any disabled person whose disablement is so severe that he is unlikely to be able to work under ordinary conditions, and thus needs special conditions such as the workshop provides, that is, anyone who qualifies under Section 15 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether it is intended to extend the list in the near future?

No, Sir. The list which I will circulate is complete as far as it covers those already in operation but this is not the end of the operation. Many others will be added from time to time.

Is it intended that these factories should operate at a profit or a loss, or should they balance out over a period of years?

The hope is that they will work at a profit, as, indeed, some of them are. The Act provides that the main purpose of these workshops is to provide employment at proper wages for the persons engaged in them. Should there be a loss, the State bears that loss.

asked the Minister of Labour why people in receipt of unemployment benefit are unable to get franked cards as they have done in the past years; and whether he is aware that if such emergency cards are not issued in time for their dispatch to their approved societies by 30th November, 1947, their entitlement to benefits under National Health Insurance during 1948 may be seriously affected.

I understand the hon. and gallant Member's Question refers to delay in issuing cards to two persons in Barrow and Wickhambrook. This was due to a clerical error, and the cards were issued last week in ample time to be forwarded to the approved society before 30th November.

Can the Minister say why no action was taken on the repeated applications of the persons concerned?

I am not aware that they have made repeated applications, but I will make inquiries about it. This was a pure error; the papers slipped into the wrong file in the office.