§ 62. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Labour if he can state the period of training now being given to men on the training colony for unemployed at Claydon, near Ipswich; whether it is proposed to shorten the period; how many of these trainees have 546 been loaned out to local farmers fur the purpose of hoeing sugar beet; the price paid by the farmers for such labour as compared with the price paid to ordinary workpeople for the same work; and the number of unskilled workers registered as unemployed at the Labour Exchanges, Ipswich?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe normal period of training given at Claydon training centre is six months, but it is sometimes shortened to fit in with the dates fixed for men to proceed overseas. Since the area of land belonging to the training centre is at present too small for the needs of training, it has been necessary to obtain some work from neighbouring farmers, including some sugar beet hoeing. The farmers pay a contract price, based upon the price paid to ordinary workpeople for the same work. On 14th June, 2,444 men were registered at Ipswich Employment Exchange. I am unable to state what proportion of these were unskilled.
§ Mr. LANSBURYDoes the hon. Gentleman think it fair to take men down from London to a training colony and let them out to the farmers to do work which a large number of local men are available to carry out?
Mr. BETTEETONNo. I am glad to allay the hon. Member's misapprehension on that point. Of this number practically none are agricultural labourers or normally employed in agriculture.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that hoeing heel is not a skilled occupation? [HON. MEMBERS: "Try it!"] How do you know I have not tried it? Are any inquiries made by the Exchange authorities at Ipswich whether any of the men to whom the unemployment payment is being made are competent to do this work and are given the opportunity of taking it up rather than taking unemployed pay?
§ Mr. BETTERTONAs I have already said, the men who are at present registered at the Ipswich Employment Exchange are not normally engaged in agriculture, and my right hon. Friend considers that the hoeing of beet and such-like occupations are a most useful part of the training.
§ Mr. LANSBURYDoes the hon. Gentleman consider it a fair thing to take men from London to do this work when he knows perfectly well there are large numbers of men in and around Ipswich out of work who are perfectly capable of doing it?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI do not see anything whatever unfair in the arrangement that is in operation. These men are undergoing a process of training to fit them for work overseas.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs not the hoeing of beet a most delicate operation?
§ Mr. LANSBURYYou have never seen it done.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENYes, I have.