Women (Recruitment)
22.
asked the Minister of Labour what has been the response to the Government's appeal for more women to enter industry up to date
The Government have not yet instituted a special publicity campaign to recruit women for industry owing to the dislocation resulting from the power cuts and shortage of solid fuel. Arrangements for making intensive appeals in the localities where the shortage of women is most acute are well in hand and will be instituted as soon as industrial conditions appear suitable.
Will the Minister state when this campaign will begin, as this is a somewhat urgent matter in view of the Government's programme and economic survey?
As soon as the industrial conditions appear suitable.
Has the Minister considered offering some special inducement or incentive to women to go back into industry, in addition to doing their normal daily work?
No, Sir. We hope that the conditions, which have improved since the end of the war, will themselves be an adequate inducement.
Is my right hon. Friend aware that he will be greatly assisted in his appeal to women if he can persuade his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to give a lead on the question of equal pay?
Men (Retirement Age)
23.
asked the Minister of Labour the approximate number of men who retired from employment at 65 years of age during the quarter ended 31st March, 1947.
I regret that this information is not available.
Foreign Workers
24.
asked the Minister of Labour how many foreign worker; were given employment in British industry during the quarter ended 31st March, 1947.
I asume my hon. Friend refers to foreign workers brought into this country for employment. During the first quarter of the year, 1,226 Baltic women were brought from displaced persons camps in the British zone in Germany for domestic work in sanatoria and hospitals. During the same period our Department issued, on the application of individual employers, 285 permits for work in industry and 5,244 permits for domestic work in hospitals and private households. This is a total of 6,755.
Resettlement Advice Offices
asked the Minister of Labour how the volume of work being carried out by resettlement advice centres compares with the amount carried out six months ago.
During October, 1946, and March, 1947, the average weekly number of inquiries made at resettlement advice offices was 29,731 and 21,006 respectively.
While appreciating the very valuable work done by these centres, does the Minister intend to close them down as the volume of inquiries diminishes?
The questions of the necessity and advisability of closing down are now under consideration. In many cases the work has been transferred to the employment exchanges where there is a good number of inquiries, in addition to those which I have mentioned. It is intended to keep the service going, but not to maintain separate offices if they can be dispensed with.
Persons Over 45
26.
asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that local authorities and other public bodies frequently stipulate when advertising for posts that no person over the age of 45 years should apply; that waste of trained and educated manpower results; and whether he will inform local authorities of the desirability of employing people over 45 years.
If the hon. Member will send me particulars of cases he has in mind, I will consider, in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether any representations might properly be made to local authorities in the matter.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister of Works, when appointing an architect for the new Colonial Office, first declined to consider any recommendation of architects over 45, and then chose one who was a long way over 45?
Will the Minister keep in touch with industry in general, because I understand that the same limitations and restrictions are being applied in industry generally?
The Question only applies to local authorities, but we have on more than one occasion urged employers not to be too" choosey about this age, because there are many men over the age of 45, especially in this House, who are competent and clever.
Ex-Prisoners Of War
27.
asked the Minister of Labour how many former Italian prisoners of war have been allowed to return to this country since 31st July, 1946, in order to work on farms; how many have been given permission but have not yet arrived in the United Kingdom; and how many applications by British farmers for the return of such men have been refused by his Department.
30.
asked the Minister of Labour whether in view of the forthcoming shortage of agricultural workmen, he will now take steps to grant permission for the return of repatriated prisoners of war who desire to do so.
Over 450 applications have been made by farmers to be allowed to employ Italians now in Italy, most of whom are understood to have worked here in agriculture as prisoners of war. Hitherto such applications have been refused, but, I am proposing, subject to the usual conditions being satisfied, to grant permits to farmers who apply for permission to re-employ Italian exprisoners of war who worked in agriculture before their repatriation. I am not at present contemplating any similar proposals in regard to Germans who have been repatriated.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House why there has been so many months' delay in coming to this necessary decision?
I should have thought that that would have been obvious. There are 200,000 Poles in this country whom we must get placed, with a special obligation in every case, and whose position cannot be prejudiced by bringing in other people.
In view of the forthcoming shortage of agricultural workers, and of the fact that no houses are being built for them, will the Minister reconsider his decision about German prisoners of war coming back to this country?
There is no intention to reconsider it. The door has been left open for Germans now here who are in agricultural employment and for whom farmers can provide accommodation. Farmers may apply for the retention of these Germans if they agree to stay in England. There is no intention to fetch Germans back from Germany.
Surely, it is not unnatural for a German prisoner to wish to go back to Germany to see his family before resuming his occupation with a fanner in this country?
Cases of that sort have not yet been brought to our notice. Farmers have been invited to apply for their retention. If there are such circumstances as mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, they will be sympathetically considered.
Will the hon. Gentleman reconsider his reply in the light of what he has just said, because I know that this applies in many cases?
Certainly.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that Polish men cannot milk cows unless taught, as it is a woman's job in Poland, and will he take this into account in any change over?
We have a number of Polish women here.
Can the hon Gentleman say what are the usual conditions to which he referred?
The usual conditions are that, first, there must be accommodation, and, secondly, these prisoners will not be taking the place of available British workers.
Is not the hon Gentleman aware that the Government next year will once again have to appeal to farmers to save the country, that they will not be able to do so if there is not sufficient labour, and that every means to increase the labour force should be adopted?
I agree. We are inviting the farmers to apply for available labour.