§ Mr. PETOasked the Home Secretary why former trades union officials had been selected both for the post of superintendent of Labour Exchanges and of Senior Labour Adviser to the Home Office, and whether he will take into consideration in making future appointments that 282 there are 800,000 members of the National Free Labour Association and 10,000,000 male workers who are not members of any trade union, who are as much entitled to consideration as trades unionists?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy object in establishing the post of a Labour Adviser for the Home Office was to bring the Department into closer touch with, and to provide it with a readier means of ascertaining the views of, the organised workers of he country, in relation particularly to the numerous and important questions affecting our great industries, the legislation in regard to which the Home Office is called upon to administer. In dealing with such questions, the Home Office is necessarily brought constantly into contact with the workers' organisations, and has to give consideration to their views. It must be obvious that in the case of unorganised workers there is no one who could claim in the same way to represent them. The hon. Member may rest assured that in making these appointments I shall be guided solely by the desire to get men of the widest experience who will be best able to secure for the Department the information it requires for the efficient discharge of its duties. I followed the same principle at the Board of Trade for the same reasons when I made the appointment of a staff divisional officer in the Labour Exchange Department, to which I presume the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. PETOArising out of that reply, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether I understand correctly that the policy of the Department in making these appointments is entirely dictated by and in the interests of trade unionists alone among all the labourers in the country?
§ Mr. CHARLES DUNCANMay I ask whether it is not a fact that in making these appointments competence is the only qualification required, and that, provided competence was discovered in the Free Labour Association, the right hon. Gentleman would have no objection to using it?
§ Mr. CLYNESDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept the statement in the question that there are 800,000 members of the National Free Labour Association?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have to answer questions and am not responsible for their accuracy or value, but I certainly make no hard-and-fast rule that no one is eligible to enter for these appointments 283 who is not a trade unionist. I think it would probably be found in most cases that trade unionists would be of more value to a public Department if it wishes to get intimate information on industrial subjects and to come in close touch with the representatives of organised labour.