§ Mr. DAWESasked whether arrangements could be made for the accommodation inside the Labour Exchanges of applicants for work, instead of their having to be marshalled on the pavement outside, as at present is the case at the more busy centres?
Mr. BUXTONIt is within the discretion of the manager of a Labour Exchange to allow men to wait within the exchange so far as space permits, but it is not possible to make provision in all the temporary premises now available for the waiting of large numbers of workpeople. The desirability of securing more extended accommodation for this purpose in permanent premises will be considered.
§ Mr. DAWESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to state if regulations can be framed to prevent the supply by Labour Exchanges, in the case of unorganised trades, of men to places where a trade dispute exists?
Mr. BUXTONIf a manager of an exchange has reason to believe that a vacancy notified is due to a trade dispute, whether in an organised or an unorganised trade, it is his duty to direct the attention of applicants to the situation without waiting for an official notification of the existence of a dispute. It is of course to be understood that in the absence of such a notification no responsibility can be taken in the matter by the manager or by the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. DAWESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered, and, if so, with what result, the desirability of establishing interchangeable telephonic communication between the various Labour Exchanges in London, with a view to the immediate notification to each exchange concerned of the filling up of advertised vacancies and the saving to applicants of fruitless journeys?
Mr. BUXTONOf course, all the Labour Exchanges in London are in telephonic inter-communication, and the exchanges concerned are notified as soon as practicable of the cancellation of any advertised vacancy.
§ Mr. DAWESasked whether, in the case of advertisements by employers for workmen in trades where a standard rate of wages is recognised, inquiry is made of such employers whether such standard rate of wages will be paid?
Mr. BUXTONIt is the duty of managers to endeavour to obtain such information with regard to vacancies notified to them as may be required to enable the vacancies to be filled by suitable applicants, but neither employers nor workpeople are compelled to answer any particular questions against their will.