§ 42. Mr. CAPEasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that hardship was inflicted on the workmen employed at the steel works in West Cumberland under the Regulations in Memorandum L.E.C. 82/17 and E.D. Circular 82/92, particularly in regard to short-time suspension, systematic and unsystematic, for not more than 12 days at a time; is he aware that 800 to 900 men were employed at the local steel works 26 weeks in all last year, and recently these men were idle seven weeks, then employed three weeks, and became unemployed again on 10th October, registered for unemployed insurance benefit on 12th October, and again resumed work on 19th, 20th and 21st October, only to become unemployed again on 2nd November and to remain so until approximately 14th November; and is he prepared to make investigation into this case with a view of formulating a new set of Regulations to meet cases such as the one quoted above?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am making inquiry into this case, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.