Sir F. HALL(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Labour what is the expenditure incurred on unemployment pay per week in respect of the ex-Service men who are out of work owing to the refusal of the Building Trades Unions to agree to their absorption in order to expedite the provision of urgently needed housing accommodation?
§ The MINISTER OF LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)Unemployed ex-service men receive generally, £1 per week in out-of-work donation. The absorption of 50,000 in the skilled building trades would, therefore, mean a saving of £50,000 a week in out-of-work donation, and, in addition, there would, I imagine, be a large saving of donation and benefit in respect of other unemployed ex-service men and others who could find employment if more skilled men were available.
Sir F. HALLHas the right hon. Gentleman taken up the matter with the trade unions and drawn their attention to the necessity of allowing these men to earn their own living instead of prohibiting these men, who have fought for their country, being in a position to do this work when they went to do it?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly I have taken up the question with the building trade authorities.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs it not a fact that there are something like 50,000 men out of employment in the building trade?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAh, yes! But half are labourers, and a great many more are trades which could be employed at the end of the constructional work of housing, if there were more men at the actual building.
§ Sir W. DAVISONCan the Minister of Labour state whether it is a fact, as stated in the Press last night, that operations at Dagenham, Ilford, have been brought to a standstill by recent action of the unions, who have declined to allow concrete bricks to be laid in the buildings?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot answer that question; but perhaps I may be allowed to make a comment or two upon the situation in the Debate on unemployment.