§ Mr. CARR-GOMMasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the clerks at the Labour Exchanges when answering applications from employers were instructed to ask the employer what aged man or woman he required for the work; and, if this was so, whether he would alter such instructions in view of the difficulties in the way of men and women of middle age in obtaining employment?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)No instructions of the nature indicated by my hon Friend have been issued. It is the duty of the Labour Exchange officials to endeavour, so far as possible, to fill vacancies with suitable applicants, and they must naturally use their discretion with regard to obtaining such particulars of an employer's requirements as will enable suitable workpeople to be sent.
§ Mr. CARR-GOMMWill the right hon. Gentleman give instructions not to ask employers this question?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe clerks are bound to give information asked for. I do not think I can do any more than leave it to the discretion of the clerk.
§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether superintendents of Labour Exchanges were authorised, when applications were made to them for workmen in a given trade, to select in their own discretion names from those registered with them, or whether they should pass on the names to the prospective employers in the order in which they were registered; and whether he would give directions to the various exchanges upon the subject?
§ Mr. BUXTONIt is the duty of Labour Exchange managers to endeavour to fill vacancies notified by employers with the most suitable applicants on their books. There is no rule that workmen registered shall be passed on to employers in order of priority of registration, nor do I think that any such rule would conduce to the utility of the exchanges.