HC Deb 08 April 1925 vol 182 cc2209-10
36. Mr. HANNON

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the total cost to the Government for each year since its inception of the home-training courses for unemployed women promoted through the Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment with Government assistance; whether any figures are available, as to the percentage of women taking these courses who have subsequently entered domestic service; and whether he will consider the desirability of stipulating that women admitted for training in these courses shall not, on completion of their training, register at Employment Exchanges for clerical and other employment in which the instruction given in such courses is useless?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

As the reply is long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. HANNON

Is the Department of the right hon. Gentleman taking steps to prevent girls trained for domestic service going to the Employment Exchanges and registering for other kinds of labour, clerical and the like?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

That is a supplementary question that can really only be elucidated in Debate, but if I were to put it, quite briefly, it would be this: Every encouragement is given to trained girls to enter domestic service, but if they are not fitted for domestic employment at the end of the training, manifestly it would be absurd to prevent them going into any other work.

Following is the statement promised:

The State contributions towards the cost of the home training courses for unemployed women carried on by the Central Committee on Women's Training have been as follow:

£
1921–2 … … … 50,000
1922–3 … … … 15,000
1923–4 … … … 43,150
For the financial year just ended the contribution is estimated at £127,400. In addition, the State bears the cost of staff loaned to the Committee, which last year amounted to about £1,000, and provides accommodation, stationery and other establishment items free of expense. These items cannot, however, be apportioned with any degree of accuracy between the various schemes. The percentage of women who have taken a course and have, subsequently entered domestic service varies in different areas. In 1922 and 1923 the percentage known to have entered domestic service was about 66 per cent. of the women trained. In 1924 the percentage is rather less; during the spring and summer the courses were not limited to women likely to enter domestic service.

I will consider the point raised in the last part of the question, but I am afraid it would be difficult to make the stipulation the hon. Member suggests.