HC Deb 21 April 1915 vol 71 cc255-7
29. Mr. HOGGE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what is the object of the appeal to women to register at the Labour Exchanges; how many women of industrial age there are in the United Kingdom; how many are at present in employment; what is the nature of the training the Board of Trade means to organise for women registering under their new scheme; and whether he proposes any scheme of maintenance while the women are training?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)

The object of the appeal to which my hon. Friend refers is, as stated in the appeal itself, to find out what reserve force of women's labour, trained or untrained, can be made available, if required, to meet the needs of the present emergency. At the Census of 1911 there were 15,650,778 women between the ages of fifteen and sixty-five. At the present time probably about 5,500,000 women between the ages of fifteen and sixty-five are occupied. The nature of any training given and the arrangements for giving it will depend in each case upon the nature of the work for which employers desire to engage the women. In the case of agriculture, where a certain number of women are already being trained, the training is being given at agricultural colleges, and maintenance Grants have been provided by the Development Commission.

Mr. HOGGE

Is agriculture the only industry in which these women specially registered have been used so far?

Mr. ROBERTSON

It is the only one in which training has been specially given.

Mr. HOGGE

If they are employed in any other industry in which training has been given, will they be maintained while in training?

30. Mr. HOGGE

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has had resolutions from women's organisations asking that they should be used in organising women labour under his new scheme: and whether he hopes to make any use of them?

Mr. ROBERTSON

A number of resolutions have been received from women's organisations offering co-operation with the Board of Trade in connection with the scheme of war service for women, and my right hon. Friend has had a conference with representatives of a number of the principal women's organisations on Tuesday, April 13th. He hopes to make a full use of these offers of co-operation, which he values very much.