44. Viscountess ASTORasked the Minister of Labour whether he has now been able to go through the results of the inquiries into the distributive and catering trades, and when he proposes to issue a summary of these Reports to the House?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI would refer my Noble Friend to the reply given on 18th November to the hon. Member for the South Division of East Ham (Mr. Barnes).
Viscountess ASTORIs it not the case that the reply referred to stated that the matter was to be considered that afternoon, and have we not been asking questions about this matter for three years?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe Report has not been out for three years; on the contrary, it has only been out a short time. The matter is at the moment under the personal consideration of my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the delay in issuing to the House the Report of the Minister's investigation in all the trades affected by trade boards is operating very unfairly against those firms which are paying fair wages?
§ Mr. BETTERTONMy right hon. Friend is anxious to issue this summary as soon as he is in a position to do so, and as soon as his investigation is complete he will comply with the promise he has made.
§ Captain GARRO-JONESWill the hon. Gentleman see that his right hon. Friend conforms to the usual practice of issuing these reports in the middle of the long Recess?