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Irish Workers, East Sussex

Volume 388: debated on Thursday 15 April 1943

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asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the circumstances attending the recent dismissal of a number of women landworkers in East Sussex and their replacement by specially imported citizens of a neutral country; who are these citizens and is he aware that their employment in a coastal area is causing local resentment and anxiety; whether the local war agricultural committee made and concurred in these arrangements; and what are the present position and future prospects of these women workers?

These 33 women were employed on work for the cultivations department of the East Sussex war agricultural executive committee, which has been reclaiming an extensive area of land in the Peacehaven-Saltdean District. After reclamation, a considerable part of this land was let to farmers and part of the remainder was devoted to horticultural crops by the committee. Accordingly the cultivations department had no further need for some of the labour employed by them in this district. Unfortunately, these women were therefore given notice in error, instead of being transferred to another department of the committee which needed their services; although they were informed, when given notice, that they would probably be taken on again by the horticultural department. When this matter came to the notice of the committee, the chairman met the women concerned and explained that the notice had been given erroneously and reiterated the offer of re-employment with the committee. After some negotiations, in which the parties had the assistance of an officer of my Department, this offer (on a whole-time weekly basis) has been accepted. The women's service are at present required in the horticultural department, but they will be transferred as necessary to any other work on which they can be employed by the committee.As regards the allegation that these women were replaced by neutrals, the facts are as follow: Last autumn the committee came to the conclusion that they would need additional workers this year, and they asked my Department to supply Irish workers under arrangements which it has with the Ministry of Labour and National Service to engage men in Eire for employment by county war agricultural executive committees. My Department was asked to supply men to start work in April. Arrangements for the engagement of men in Eire have to be made many weeks in advance, and it is not possible to guarantee travel on a particular day; but some of the men asked 10r were ready on 26th March, and the committee agreed to accept them on that day. The security questions involved are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the local police, to whom the Irish men have to report on arrival.