§ 40. Major MOULTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, as agricultural labourers cannot draw unemployment pay, he will introduce legislation to enable compensation to be given to them when they are thrown out of employment by a Government Department requiring the sheep or cattle which they attend to be slaughtered?
§ Mr. BUXTONThis question has been carefully considered, but the amount of unemployment arising from the compulsory slaughter of animals under the Diseases of Animals Acts would hardly seem sufficient to justify the introduction of special legislation. From inquiries made in areas where extensive slaughtering occurred last spring, it appeared that in most cases the workers were found other employment by their employers, or were provided with employment in connection with the outbreaks.
§ Major MOULTONHas the right hon. Gentleman considered those cases, though few in number, in which the hardship is very real, and if the amount in question is so small, could he not see his way to give some compensation to these people?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have made very careful inquiries from our inspectors, and I think the number of cases of hardship is infinitesimal.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODHas the right hon. Gentleman never considered the possibility of bringing in a Measure to take over all the land of the country and all the cattle and nationalising them? Then we could deal with the question of unemployment?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think the Minister would require some time to consider that.