§ 37. Brigadier-General SURTEESasked the Minister of Labour whether having regard to the conditions under which the office staff and servants in certain large hotels live, he will say if he has yet seen his way to apply the Trade Boards Acts to the catering trade; and, if not, when he expects to be able to do so?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have caused inquiries to be made with a view to the establishment of Trade Boards to cover workpeople engaged in catering, and discussions on the point are proceeding between the Labour Ministry and representatives of the employers and work-people concerned. As my hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware, there are considerable variations in the conditions of the different branches of catering, and the problems of definition and demarcation are very complex. We are proposing almost immediately to circulate to the employers' associations and trade unions concerned, for their observations, definite proposals for the appointment of separate Trade Boards for:
(a) The Light Refreshment and Dining Room Trade;
(b) The Hotel, Boarding House, and Restaurant Trade; and
(c) The Public House Trade.
I regret that I am unable to state definitely when it will be possible to establish the Trade Boards, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the matter is receiving urgent attention.