HC Deb 23 November 1927 vol 210 c1777
27. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the Minister of Labour if resident domestic service is classified as a skilled or unskilled occupation.

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Betterton)

There is no official classification of this sort; and the variety of occupations covered is such that I do not think it would be possible to describe resident domestic service, as a whole, as either skilled or unskilled.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Does not the hon. Gentleman see that this is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs? Are not these people being trained for service?

Mr. BETTERTON

Quite obviously, it is not possible to classify them in the way that the hon. and gallant Gentleman suggests. For instance, a cook may be a highly skilled person or a very unskilled one.