§ 53. Major COHENasked the Prime Minister whether it is the Government's intention to insist that at least 75 per cent. of the unskilled labour employed in schemes set up under the Trade Facilities Act shall be ex-service men; and whether this is in fact now being done?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Snowden)It is impracticable to require the promoter of a loan seeking a guarantee under the Act to obtain from his contractors, before he is in a position to select them or to place an order with them, an undertaking that in executing the order they and their sub-contractors will employ a certain percentage of ex-service men. But the Advisory Committee in every case in which they recommend a guarantee ask the company proposing to raise the money to do everything in their power to secure that wherever practicable 75 per cent. of the men employed on the work to be carried out for them with the proceeds of the loan shall be ex-service men. The 655 great majority of men concerned in Trade Facility Acts schemes are naturally not unskilled men, but skilled men.
§ Captain BERKELEYWill that also apply to loans to the Dominions and for the Sudan?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise here.
§ Mr. SNOWDENIf the hon. Member could ensure that it will be possible to apply such a regulation, we would consider it.