§ 23. Mr. WATTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether any clerks or assistants or partners of iron merchants in Glasgow of military age have received exemption cards from his Department or have been badged in any way so that they are not taken for military service; if so, why middlemen engaged in such trade have a privilege over other middlemen in other trades; how many iron merchants there have the privilege of having their employed in possession of such exemption cards; and will he say on what principle the choice of merchants is made?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo employés of iron merchants have been badged as such, or protected under the Schedule of Protected Occupations, M.M. 130. The Schedule provides for the protection of certain classes of employés of scrap metal merchants, the reason being that the collection, treatment, and distribution of scrap iron and steel is essential to the fulfilment of the programme of construction of ships and the manufacture of munitions, and can only be carried out if a certain number of qualified and experienced men are retained to perform the work. I regret that I have no information available as to the number of scrap metal merchants in Glasgow whose employés have obtained protection under the Schedule. If the hon. Member wishes, I will endeavour to obtain the information.