HC Deb 27 July 1915 vol 73 cc2130-1
20. Mr. ELLIS DAVIES

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the officials of the Labour Exchange at Carnarvon, under orders, decline to give any information either to public bodies or public men who desire to co-operate with the Labour Exchange in facilitating the bringing together of employers and workmen for ammunition and other purposes; and whether he will give instructions to the Labour Exchange, in view of the War, to relax the rules and to give to and receive information from all persons who can be of assistance in this time of emergency?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Pretyman)

Local Labour Exchange officials have been instructed that they should not, without special instructions in each case, give information as to individual applicants for work or as to employers who have applied for workpeople. It is evidently in the interests of all concerned that such information should, as a rule, be regarded as confidential. Any information, however, that can properly be given is and will be given by the responsible superior officers at the Divisional Offices or at the Central Office for Labour Exchanges.

Mr. DAVIES

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it took this particular office over twelve days to answer a certain letter regarding inquiries of the Board of Trade?

Mr. PRETYMAN

In reply to that I would say that the letter had to be referred to the divisional office, and then other inquiries had to be made. I have looked into the matter, and, so far as I can see, every reasonable expedition was used.

Mr. DAVIES

Does the hon. Gentleman really think that in time of war it should take twelve days to answer a letter as to whether or not a man could find work in munition works?

Mr. PRETYMAN

That depends entirely upon the case and the areas over which inquiries have to be spread.

Mr. DAVIES

Does the hon. Gentleman think it reasonable that an inquiry made in Carnarvon, by a Carnarvon resident, should be sent to Cardiff, 200 miles away, and that it should take ten days to say whether a particular individual could not find work as a fitter in a munition factory?

Mr. PRETYMAN

I do not think the answering of the letter had any influence whatever on the efforts already being made to find work, which is the material point.