asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider placing the control of all hostels for war workers under one organisation?

When the National Service Hostels Corporation, Limited, was set up by me a year ago to manage hostels provided at Government expense for transferred war workers, it was agreed that for reasons of practical convenience the Corporation should not be asked to manage hostels at Royal Ordnance Factories, which would continue to be managed under arrangements made by the Ministry of Supply, or hostels for agricultural workers and others housed in small and scattered units. No change in that policy is at present contemplated.

Does not my right hon. Friend think that it would make for greater economy if they were amalgamated?

It may at a later date, but when we are building up a new machine operating nearly 100,000 beds under the National Hostels Corporation I do not want to take steps that would overload it until it gets into working order.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has come to any decision as to the post-war use of the Royal Ordnance factories and other hostels established in connection with the war effort?

This is a matter of general Government policy. No decision has yet been reached.

Can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that these hostels will be retained for social and educational purposes by the Government after the war?

If I may express a personal opinion, without stating Government policy, it is that they ought to be retained, and the Government are considering the matter from that aspect.

asked the Minister of Labour what complaints he has had with regard to the operations of tribunals dealing with the mobile class of young women and their failure to give adequate consideration to domestic circumstances; and whether he is prepared to amend present instructions and provide facilities for all complaining parties to appeal against the decisions of the tribunals?

I am inquiring into the three cases forwarded to the Ministry by my hon. Friend and will communicate with him about them as soon as possible. I would, however, point out that in two of the cases the reference is to the procedure before the hardship committees. This procedure is statutory, with certain rights of appeal to the umpire, and I have no power to alter it. In the other case it is stated that the woman concerned was unable for reasons of health to continue in a job to which she had been directed, but it is not stated whether her case went before a tribunal or with what result.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in each of the cases that appeared before the hardship committee it was specifically laid down that no right of appeal existed? If, therefore, when he is investigating the cases he finds that the suggestion of hardship and under-estimation of tragic domestic circumstances is supported, will he take steps to see that a right of appeal exists?

The right of appeal is clearly statutory; it does exist.

The form upon which the decision of the hardship committee is communicated to the individual states that no right of appeal is allowed.

I will look into that.

In view of the unsatisfactory replies made by the Minister in regard to this matter, I beg to give notice that I shall raise it on the Adjournment at a convenient date.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women and girls who have been placed in industry, since 1939, in the administrative county of Durham; and the number that have been transferred out of this county to other areas for industrial purposes during the same period?

I will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons now registered as unemployed are partially disabled by industrial accident and disease; and whether he is taking steps to provide facilities for rehabilitation and retaining of these workers?

I have no statistics showing how many persons registered as unemployed are partially disabled by industrial accident or disease. Certain facilities for the training of such persons for new occupations are available under the interim scheme instituted last year. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the leaflet on this scheme.

Is it the intention of the Minister at any stage to take steps to discover how many such men are in the country, in view of the fact that it may be necessary to use their labour?

I think that the best way would be, if hon. Members know these ceses and think that they are capable of being brought back to useful employment by rehabilitation, that they should, instead of asking me to get a lot of statistics, forward cases to me, and I will look into them very quickly. I think that that is the quickest way of dealing with them.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the amount of time lost by sickness is on the increase among industrial workers; and whether he can indicate the main steps taken to deal with the problem?

Statistics on the point are not available. The main special steps taken by my Department under war conditions are to help in securing, in co-operation with the appropriate authorities, the satisfactory housing of transferred workers in particular, adequate feeding facilities, and good transport conditions, coupled with improved arrangements for medical and nursing attention for those who are sick and some extension of medical supervision in the factories themselves, so far as the available supply of doctors permits. Improved welfare supervision also has a bearing on the problem.

Would it be possible for my right hon. Friend to get some information from the Minister of Health on this subject based on the National Health Insurance returns?

It would be possible, but in view of the necessity of keeping down Government staffs as low as possible we do not want too much collection of statistics.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered amending the Essential Work (Coal Mining Industry) Order in such a way as would enable legal proceedings to be taken against the employers in the same way as is taken against the workmen for loss of output?

The provisions affecting workers in the Essential Work Order, and in particular those relating to absenteeism apply to all grades of employees, including the managers, and among those who may report cases of alleged absenteeism to the National Service Officer is the pit production committee. It does not appear, therefore, that there is anything more I could do by way of amendment of the Order in this respect. Efficiency of management is a matter that cannot be brought within the scope of the Order and must be dealt with in another way.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that under this Order £645,000 has been paid out to provide a guaranteed wage and that this represents a loss of from 250,000 to 300,000 shifts, which means a considerable loss of output? Cannot something be done to amend the Order so as to deal with owners who are responsible?

I have explained that you cannot very well deal with the management under this Order. I appreciate he point that my hon. Friend makes, but steps have to be taken in another direction to overcome it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there is a strong feeling that he is prosecuting the workmen for absenteeism but is not prosecuting the managements?

My hon. Friend is wrong. Managers have been prosecuted for violations of the Order.

But none have been sent to prison like the workmen.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can now see his way to revise the Order extending the hours of juveniles in the cotton industry?

This matter is under constant review, but the situation in the cotton spinning mills at the moment is such that I cannot hold out any hope of an early cancellation of this Order. Care will be taken, however, to limit the actual operation of the Order to cases where this is essential for war requirements.

This question has been under review for some time. Does my right hon. Friend think that the employment of these juveniles for longer hours is really vital to the war effort?

I should not have agreed to it if it were not. I hated doing it.

Has the right hon. Gentleman received any medical reports as to the health of these juveniles, and will he keep in view medical reports about their health?

I keep constantly in touch with the authorities, and I have had no adverse report up to now. I am watching the matter carefully.

I started work at seven, and look at my health.

asked the Minister of Labour the average wage of boys in Government and other munition factories, ages 14 to 16 and 16 to 18, respectively?

As the reply contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour what percentage of women of registration age who have children under 14 years of age living with them are now in full-time employment?

I have no statistics enabling me to give this information. In the classes recently registered of women born in 1904–8 inclusive approximately 15 per cent. of married women with children were in full-time paid employment at the time of registration.

asked the Minister of Labour whether has attention has been drawn to the inconvenience felt by workers from the scarcity of hairdressers still in business; and can he arrange for some relief?

I have withdrawn women from hairdressing only in accordance with the terms agreed with the Central Advisory Panel, on which hairdressing is represented. Male hairdressers who are liable under the National Service Acts may have their calling up deferred on application to the district man-power boards in appropriate cases.

Who are the more important, hairdressers or sweeps? Sweeps have been called up.

Has my right hon. Friend considered the recent report of a committee on the risk of infestation among those in the Services? Is he bearing that in mind?