§ Mr. J. WARDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the action of the Port of London Authority and shipowners advertising in provincial newspapers inviting workmen to come to London and offering employment at the docks; whether thousands of men are refused employment every morning at the places for taking on; whether the excess supply of labour is nearly 25 per cent. above actual requirements; and what action he proposes to take to prevent an increase of such surplus labour at the London docks?
Mr. BUXTONI am informed by the Port of London Authority that they have not issued any advertisement for additional labour; that there has been no appreciable increase recently in the number of men seeking employment at the docks, and that the fluctuations in the volume of work at the docks render it difficult for them to form any precise estimate of the number of men in excess of the actual requirements.
§ Mr. REMNANTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the statement in the question that the excess supply of labour is nearly 25 per cent. is correct?
Mr. BUXTONI sent this question to the Port of London Authority for their observations, and the reply they gave is embodied in my answer. The question whether there is an excess of 25 per cent. does not really arise.
§ Mr. REMNANTCan the right hon. Gentleman say if there is an unusual amount of unemployment among the dockers?