52. Lieut.-Colonel W. GUINNESSasked the Prime Minister to what extent housing schemes are now being held up owing to the lack of skilled labour?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Reports of the local officers of the Ministry of Health indicate that at the present moment the building of a large additional number of houses included in contracts already signed could be begun, and the progress of those houses which are now in course of construction could be accelerated if additional skilled labour were available. The additional number of skilled workmen immediately required on house building is approximately 5,500.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSIf this position has arisen when plans have only been passed by the Ministry of Health for 50,000 houses, is it not certain to be far more grave when the whole scheme is thoroughly under weight, and it is necessary to build a quarter of a million houses?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI quite agree. But it is not merely plans. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend these are tenders which have been accepted at the present time. No doubt it raises a very serious situation unless there is some relaxation of these trade union rules.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTIs it not possible to make an appeal to the whole of the trade unions concerned in the 1530 building trade to suspend their rules with regard to dilution for a period of two years, in order to absorb the thousands of discharged soldiers who are only waiting to enter the building trade?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI made an appeal in this House on the subject, and I afterwards appealed to trade union representatives. I made a direct appeal. I understand my right hon. Friend is interviewing them again in a few days—I hope he will be more successful in obtaining a relaxation of the rules.
§ Mr. BILLINGWill the right hon. Gentleman point out to these men that it is their houses we are endeavouring to build, and, under these circumstances, might he not make one of his poster appeals throughout the country?
Mr. TYSON WILSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that at least 90 or 95 per cent. of the building trade are now engaged on other buildings than houses for the working classes.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think my hon. Friend is wrong there. Of course, there is a certain percentage—probably a high percentage—of building which is absolutely essential to the industrial development of the country.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODCinemas.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is constantly being said, but the numbers engaged upon that work are exceedingly small.
§ Mr. ADAMSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a considerable portion of the men who have been trained to house building are engaged in other parts of the industrial system of this country at the present moment, and that the full complement of builders are not being employed in the building trade?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSurely that is all the more reason why the hundreds of thousands of men who are unemployed, a good many of whom could give the most valuable assistance, should be utilised for this purpose?
§ Mr. ADAMSONMay I ask the Prime Minister if the reason for the employment of these men in other parts of the industrial. system is that they have not been able to find employment in the industry in which they have been trained?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe certainly shall find no difficulty at all in finding employment for them. It is true there is a difficulty when they are taken away from house building, but that is aggravated by the refusal of the unions to allow a relaxation of the rules.
§ Mr. HAYDAYThose demonstrations do not help to get over the difficulty.
§ Mr. ADAMSONMay I put it to the Prime Minister that an attempt is being made to put the blame on the trade unions of the country, when the blame really lies with one of his own Departments?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIf my right hon. Friend thinks that, all he has got to do is to persuade the trade unions to withdraw this objection. Then there will be no blame attached to them.
§ Mr. ADAMSONIf we had the opportunity of discussing this matter, and fully going into it with the Prime Minister, I think we could prove that the fault lies at the door of one of his Departments.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI should be very glad to meet my right hon. Friend or anybody, and I will make this promise to him, if he will make a promise on his side, that if the blame rests with any Government official, we will deal with it. On the other hand, the right hon. Gentleman must give an undertaking that if the blame rests with the trade unions, he and his party will deal with it.