§ VISCOUNT HELMSLEY (Yorkshire, N. R., Thirsk)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has any information of the extent to which short time and limitation of output are being practised at present in the coal mining and cotton industries.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) Short time is being worked by firms in certain
§ books from seamen who failed to join their ships during the period from 1st July to 31st December, 1907. I have given instructions for figures to be obtained for the specific periods mentioned in the Question, and will communicate them to my hon. friend.
§ branches of the cotton trade at the present time, although the movement is not organised. The most recent Returns to the Board of Trade indicate that employment in the coal trade is generally good, and I have no information that the output is being limited.