§ 58. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour generally the reasons and under what circumstances between three and four thousand alien women received permits during the past two years in order to take up domestic service in this 1034 country; and whether there were no unemployed British women who would have been eligible to undertake the employment given to this large number of aliens?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDPermits to bring to this country alien women domestic servants are issued only when the employer shows that he has made every possible effort to find suitable labour without success. There is still a large unsatisfied demand for resident domestic servants and no unemployed British woman who is qualified and willing to undertake this work need remain out of a situation for long.
§ Sir W. DAVISONWill my right hon. Friend deal with the last paragraph in the question? Of the considerable number of British unemployed women, were none of them eligible to take these 4,000 places that were given to foreigners?
§ Miss WILKINSONIf there are so many posts for resident domestic servants, why has the right hon. Gentleman cut down the grant for training women in this work?
§ Mr. THURTLEWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there are very large numbers of unemployed young-men to be found in the residential parts of the West End of London?