54 Lieut.-Colonel W. GUINNESSasked the Prime Minister (1) whether, in 35 view of the fact that the number of apprentices now engaged in the building trade is estimated to be only about one-half that authorised by existing joint working agreements between the unions and employers, and the danger of serious delay resulting in building under the Housing Acts, he will appoint a committee to report what steps should be taken to require employers to make adequate arrangements for recruiting and training skilled labour for the building trade and on wage and other conditions as bearing upon the deficiency; (2) whether he will take steps to ensure that no contracts are let by Government Departments or local authorities to any contractors who fail to employ the maximum number of apprentices agreed on under existing joint working agreements between the unions and the employers?
§ Lieut.-Colonel GILMOURI have been asked to answer these questions. As stated in answer to a previous question by the hon. Member on the 11th March, the Resettlement Committee of the Joint Industrial Council for the Building Industry is already considering matters connected with apprentices in that industry. In these circumstances I do not anticipate that it will be necessary to appoint a further Committee as suggested, and it would be premature to commit the Government to any particular course pending a decision by the industry itself as to the steps to be taken to give effect to the recommendations already made for increasing the number of apprentices.
Lieut. Colonel GUINNESSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this Resettlement Committee is not hearing evidence in public, nor is there any facility for the general public to know what is going on? In view of the importance of the question, does he not feel that it is necessary to strengthen the hands of those who want to get houses built by allowing this information to be made public?