§ 90. Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade if the Labour Exchange at Motherwell had been used to differentiate as against a Catholic applicant for employment; is he aware that Messrs. McKendrick, of that town, had applied to the Exchange for a worker with the stipulation that such worker should be a Protestant, and that the application had been dealt with on that basis; and will he see that such use of an Exchange is discouraged in future?
Mr. RUNCIMANIn the case referred to in this question the firm, in notifying the vacancy to the Exchange, stated that they were only prepared to employ a Protestant, and this was communicated to the applicants. If the Exchange had suppressed the fact that the condition had been imposed the effect would merely have been to send applicants on fruitless journeys to obtain employment.
Mr. NUGENTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is a very common occurrence in some Government Departments?