§ 24. Mr. NANNETTIasked whether any steps have been taken to proceed with the building of the Labour Exchange offices in Lord Edward Street, Dublin; and, if not, who is responsible for the delay?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe Board of Public Work (Dublin), who are in control of the arrangements in connection with the building of the Labour Exchange and Unemployment Insurance Divisional Office in Dublin, inform the Board of Trade that there has been no avoidable delay. Plans of the building, which is to be erected by the landlord, have been settled, and tenders will be invited as soon as possible.
§ Mr. NANNETTIWhen does "as soon as possible" mean? I have had the same answer during the last two years.
§ 25. Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department is offering employment to women clerks in the central office in connection with Labour Exchange and Unemployment Insurance, the ordinary hours of duty to be eight per day, the whole of their time, however, to be at the disposal of the Department without additional remuneration, the clerks being entitled to eighteen working days' holiday, exclusive of Bank holidays, in each year so 1300 far as the exigencies of the service will permit; whether he is aware that in the General Post Office, from which many of the clerks are being transferred, the hours of duty are seven per day with payment for overtime, and the annual leave is twenty-seven days; and whether he proposes to take any steps to level up the conditions of employment under the Board of Trade to those existing in the clerical department of the General Post Office?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe terms upon which a number of women clerks in the Post Office have been offered and have accepted appointments under the Board of Trade are the same as those applicable to all other clerks throughout the Labour Exchange service. The officers concerned were fully aware of this condition attaching to these posts. Some of them have, moreover, secured a substantial increase of salary by promotion on transfer. The question of the amount of annual leave to be allowed to various grades in the Labour Exchange service is at the present moment under consideration.
§ 31. Mr. AMERYasked whether the offices of the Labour Exchanges are used for political or trade union meetings; and, if so, whether such use is sanctioned?
Mr. ROBERTSONIn accordance with the statutory Regulations under the Labour Exchanges Act, every application for accommodation within the premises of a Labour Exchange must be referred to the Advisory Trade Committee for the district, and can only be granted on such terms and conditions as they may approve. A number of these Committees, which, consist of equal numbers of representatives of employers and workpeople, have agreed to the grant of accommodation to trade unions and other bodies subject to certain conditions, and the Board of Trade have usually accepted their recommendations. The conditions laid down, of which I am causing copies to be sent to the hon. Member, vary to some extent, both as regards the business which may be transacted at meetings on Labour Exchange premises and the bodies to whom accommodation may be granted. In no-case may a public meeting of any kind be held at an Exchange except with the express consent of the Advisory Trade Committee and of the Board of Trade, and the Board are not aware that the premises of Exchanges have been used for political meetings.
§ 32. Mr. AMERYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his sanction was given to the meeting of the Birmingham branch of the National Union of Clerks being held at the Birmingham Labour Exchange on the 5th June, when resolutions in favour of supporting the transport workers in a general strike were passed?
Mr. ROBERTSONIn accordance with the conditions laid down by the Advisory Trade Committee for the West Midlands, provisional sanction was given to the Birmingham branch of the National Union of Clerks by the Divisional Officer for Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance in the district to hold their meetings at the Birmingham Labour Exchange, and his action was confirmed by the Committee at their meeting on 13th June. The Board have no information with regard to the proceedings at the meeting of the branch on 5th June.
§ Mr. AMERYWill the hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made with regard to poltical resolutions being passed?
Mr. ROBERTSONIf the Advisory Committee send information to the Board of Trade the matter will be considered with a view to future action.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDDoes the hon. Gentleman accept the interpretation of a resolution in favour of a strike as a "political" resolution?