§ 33. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the executive council of the General Union of Operative Carpenters and Joiners have refused to sanction in the erection of wooden houses at or near Wrexham the employment of 200 women who have had from two to three years' experience in the manufacture of huts, whereby the erection of houses in the district is being delayed and the women are precluded from taking employment which is awaiting them: and what steps he proposes to take in the matter, in view of the Government's 1434 pledges that men and women should be given equal opportunities in the various professions and industries?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am informed by Messss. William Thomas and Sons that they propose to employ 200 women to assist in building wooden houses, for which they have contracts in various parts of the country, and that objections have been raised by the local branch of the General Union of Operative Carpenters and Joiners. I am making further inquiries into the matter, and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the learned professions, such as the Bar and solicitors, is thrown open to women, who are also appointed Justices of the Peace, and will he take steps to see that women are not prevented by the action of trade unions from undertaking employment for which they are skilled?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have undertaken to make inquiry into this particular case.
§ 34. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Executive Council of the General Union of Operative Carpenters and Joiners have forbidden their Wrexham branch to relax their trades union regulations, whereby 40 ex-soldiers are deprived of an opportunity of earning their living in performing partly-skilled repetition work which could be done by any fairly intelligent man after a few days' training, the full rate of wages ruling in the area having been agreed to be paid by Messrs. William Thomas and Sons, who have entered into a contract for the erection of wooden houses for the housing of the working classes in the district; whether he is aware that the provision of urgently needed houses is thereby being delayed; and what action he intends to take in the matter?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI understand that the proposal made by the firm of Messrs. William Thomas and Sons was that they should engage from 40 to 50 disabled ex-service men for a three years' course of training as joiners, and 5 disabled men for a similar course of training as wood machinists, the weekly wage to be paid by the firm being 30s. for the first year; 40s. for the second year; and 50s. for the 1435 third year; and these wages were to be made up to £3 by the Training Department of the Ministry of Labour. The arrangements for training in these trades are regulated by a scheme prepared in agreement with the trade unions concerned. The proposal, which differs in certain respects from this agreement, was considered by the Local Technical Advisory Committee for the Building Trades at Wrexham, and submitted to the local branches of the trade unions concerned. These branches declined to agree to the proposal. A conference is being arranged between the Local Employment Committee at Wrexham and the Local Federation of Building Operatives, at which I hope that a scheme for the training of the ex-service men in question will be agreed upon.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that for months past both he and the Prime Minister have stated that negotiations were in progress, and will he take steps to come to a definite conclusion, whereby ex-service men may secure employment, having regard to the statement to-day that 180,000 men and 14,000 officers are still out of employment?
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Members of this House are continually discussing these matters without knowledge of the actual scheme, and will he expedite the issue of the White Paper in order that hon. Members may know something about the scheme?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend is dealing with the scheme for the training of disabled soldiers in regard to which I have promised to lay a White Paper; but my hon. Friend (Sir W. Davison) is dealing with the employment of ex-soldiers.
§ Mr. LAWSONDoes not the scheme for training also lay down the conditions under which the men shall be employed after training?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn respect to that I am in consultation with the local Technical Advisory Committee. On the question of employment, in connection with this case, I have been making representations for some time. There is some difficulty, but I am very hopeful by the 1436 conference to which I have referred that we shall get a happy solution. With the best goodwill in the world, it very often happens that any rash haste in these matters defeats the object in view. If my hon. Friend wishes to help these men, he will give us an opportunity of dealing with this matter in a way which will best serve the interests of all concerned.