asked the Minister of Defence the extent to which partially disabled men are employed in the Forces as waiters, batmen, librarians and in similar posts; and how far the use of disabled men in these ways can be made to relieve fit men for more vital work.

Although as a general rule men are not accepted for the Forces unless they are fit for service in any part of the world (and no man who fails to satisfy this condition is allowed to enter, or remain in, the Navy), the Army and the Royal Air Force do, nevertheless, employ a number of men with minor disabilities or ailments which tend to restrict the type of work which they can perform or the extent to which they can be posted abroad.Not many men are employed, however, whose disabilities are severe enough to restrict the possibility of their employment to a narrow range of sedentary duties. It would not be in the interest of Service efficiency to increase the number of such men and experience has shown that few men are prepared to remain with the Colours under such conditions.