55. Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has issued instructions to divisional officers and managers of Labour Exchanges to the effect that trade unions that hold their meetings at Labour Exchanges must not, if they are on strike or locked out, be allowed to hold any meeting in connection with the strike or lock out on the premises of a Labour Exchange?
Mr. ROBERTSONNo general instructions have been issued in the sense suggested. In accordance with the statutory Regulations made by the Board of Trade under the Labour Exchanges Act, applications for accommodation: within the premises of a Labour Exchange may be granted only for such purposes and on such terms and conditions as the Advisory Trade Committee for the district may approve. A number of Advisory Trade Committees have recommended that accommodation be granted' to trade unions and other bodies, subject to certain conditions; and the Board of Trade have usually accepted their recommendations. The conditions laid down, by some of these committees contain provisions to the effect indicated in my bon. Friend's question. I am causing copies of' the various conditions laid down to be sent to my hon. Friend.
Mr. TYSON WILSONCould the Board of Trade issue regulations so that we shall not have some districts applying conditions that trade unions cannot hold meetings in the Board of Trade Labour Exchanges while some districts can do so?
Mr. ROBERTSONIt seems preferable to leave the matter to the discretion of the Advisory Committee, whose judgment ought to count for something in the matter.
Mr. TYSON WILSONIs the hon. Member aware that the Board of Trade through the Labour Exchange managers and other officials have pressed trade-unions to hold their meetings in the Labour Exchanges instead of in public-houses, and now when disputes take place, they drive them back to public-houses?
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIf the Advisory Committee recommend that Labour Bureaus should be used, then the Board of Trade will not object to that recommendation?
Mr. ROBERTSONI do not say that absolutely. We have accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Committee.