asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now allow a holiday with pay at State expense to those members of the W.L.A. who signed on for an indefinite period in October, 1945, adopting Choice I in form WLA186, and have now completed a further year's service in addition to at least two years' previous service.

I regret that neither my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture nor I could accept this suggestion. The offer of a holiday with pay was made in exchange for an undertaking to serve for a further definite period and while the members referred to in the Question agreed to continue for a time they did not agree to remain for a specific period. Recently a further offer of a paid holiday was made to all members with two years' service who were prepared to give an undertaking to remain in the Land Army for a further year.

Is not the reason why young women do not sign on for a further holiday because they do not want a holiday under false pretences? Surely it is unfair now to make the position that they will get the holiday if they sign on for a further year when they have already done 18 months in the Service?

There was nothing unfair in the suggestions that were made, but it would be unfair to those who accepted the obligation of a further year's service to give a holiday on the same lines to those who had refused to accept that undertaking.