asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that temporary non-service clerks in the employment exchange service are rendered immune from discharge when raised to a higher grade; and whether, as the protection thus afforded to non-service men is contrary to the spirit of the recent agreement that non-service temporary clerks should be discharged before ex-service men, he will issue instructions that non-service temporary clerks, irrespective of grade, should in cases of redundancy stand first for discharge?

Temporary clerks are not rendered immune from discharge when raised to a higher grade, but it has never been the practice to regard them as liable to discharge owing to redundancy in a lower grade. My right hon. Friend is afraid that he cannot agree with my hon. and gallant Friend that a change in this practice is in any way required by the recent agreement to which he refers.