§ 2. Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour whether he will revise the Schedule of Reserved Occupations so that men kept out of the Army may no longer be employed on work which is not of national importance?
§ Mr. AsshetonThe purpose of the Schedule of Reserved Occupations is to secure that a sufficient number of persons possessing skill or experience which can be utilised for the maintenance of necessary production or essential services is available for such work, with due regard to the needs of the Defence Services for men, including skilled tradesmen. The schedule is constantly under review and is revised as necessary to meet the changing requirements of the Forces and of industry.
Where the skill and experience of men in reserved occupations are not being utilised so as to make the greatest possible contribution to the nation's war effort, the remedy lies not in revising the schedule but in the exercise of the powers to control production and the supply of labour now 971 vested in the Government. In pursuance of these powers my right hon. Friend is giving urgent attention to the steps necessary for securing, with the co-operation of the representatives of employers and workpeople, the most effective employment of labour on work of national importance.
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishWill the hon. Gentleman request the Minister to endeavour to devise some method whereby the State shall not be the sole keeper of a man's conscience in this matter, and to try and rectify the terrible disparity between safety and work at home and danger and death abroad?
§ Mr. AsshetonThat matter is always in mind.
§ 3. Mr. Eckersleyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour whether he proposes to make any fresh entries in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations in order to prevent key-men in the distributive trades from being called up under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act?
§ Mr. AsshetonYes, Sir. It has been decided to make a number of additional entries. With my hon. Friend's permission, I will circulate the list in the Official Report.
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesWill the hon. Gentleman bear in mind the increasing importance of the distributive trades consequent on rationing?
§ Mr. AsshetonWhen the hon. Gentleman sees the list I think he will realise that full regard has been paid to that matter.
§ Following is the list:
§ Occupation and Proposed Age of Reservation.
§ I. Distributive Trades (Retail).
§ Note.—A working owner or working principal of a business in the retail distributive trade is regarded, for the purposes of the Schedule, as a Manager.
§ Retail Distribution—Food.
§ Note.—A person would be regarded as engaged in food distribution if wholly or mainly engaged in the distribution of animal feeding-stuffs, bread, cooked meats, fish, flour, fruit, groceries, meat, milk, poultry, eggs, game, yeast, provisions or vegetables.
| Company Manager, including general manager of Co-operative Society | 30 |
| Manager, assistant manager, of departmental stores, including Co-operative Society | 30 |
| Department manager of departmental stores (including Co-operative Society), emporium manager, shop manager | 30 |
| Trade supervisor, inspector, district manager | 30 |
| Buyer | 30 |
| Dairy foreman (indoor) | 30 |
| Rounds foreman (dairy, bakery) | 30 |
| Retail Distribution—other than Food. | |
| Company manager, including general manager of Co-operative Society | 35 |
| Manager, assistant manager, of departmental stores, including Co-operative Society | 35 |
| Department manager of departmental stores (including Co-operative Society), emporium manager, shop manager | 35 |
| Trade supervisor, inspector, district manager | 35 |
| Buyer | 35 |
| Coal depot manager | 35 |
| Coal yard foreman | 35 |
§ II. Distributive Trades (Wholesale).
§ Note.—A working owner or working principal of a business in the wholesale distributive trade is regarded, for the purposes of the Schedule, as a Manager.
§ Wholesale Distribution—Food.
§ Note.—A person would be regarded as engaged in food distribution if wholly or mainly engaged in the distribution of animal feeding-stuffs, bread, cooked meats, fish, flour, fruit, groceries, meat, milk, poultry, eggs, game, yeast, provisions or vegetables.
| company manager, including general manager of Co-operative Society | 30 |
| Manager, assistant manager, department manager | 30 |
| Trade supervisor, inspector, district manager | 30 |
| Wholesale Distribution—other than Food. | |
| Company manager, including general manager of Co-operative Society | 35 |
| Manager, assistant manager, department manager | 35 |
| Trade supervisor, inspector, district manager | 35 |
| III. Wholesale and Retail Distribution. | |
| Tea Taster and blender, tea taster and valuer | 30 |
| IV. Warehouseman. | |
| Warehouseman (Retail distributive—food, excluding cold storage) | 30 |
| Warehouseman (Retail distributive—other than food) | 35 |