51. Mr. MALONEasked the Minister of Labour what is the nature and length of training given on the Ministry's farms at Claydon and Brandon; how long these farms have been in being; how many men are at present in training there; where and in what industries these trainees were previously employed; whether they receive any payment whilst training; what employment is subsequently offered to them; and what is the cost to the Government of these farms?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am sending the hon. Member copies of leaflets with details of the courses of farm training given at the Claydon and Brandon centres, which were established in November, 1925, and February, 1926, respectively. There are at present 483 men in training for farm work overseas-240 at Claydon and 243 at Brandon. These men are drawn from every part of Great Britain and from many types of occupations. Some have never had regular employment. On arrival overseas they are placed on farms by the Dominion authority concerned. The estimated current expenditure averages about 45s. per man per week.
§ Mr. KELLYIs it compulsory on a man to accept training under penalty of losing his unemployment benefit?
§ Mr. BETTERTONNo, Sir.
52. Mr. MALONEasked the Minister of Labour what is the nature and length of training given at the Ministry's handicraft training centres at Bristol, Birmingham and Dudley; how long they have been established; how many men are at present in training there; where and in what industries these trainees were previously employed; whether they receive any payment while in training; what employment is subsequently offered to them; and what is the cost to the Government of these training centres?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am sending the hon. Member a leaflet with details of the training. The Birmingham centre was opened in October, 1925; that at Dudley in January last, and the Bristol centre on the 12th of this month. There are at present 964 men in training at these three centres. The bulk of the men at Dudley and Bristol are drawn from the South Wales mining areas; those at Birmingham are local men representing many types of unskilled labour. The employment obtained by men after training covers more than 100 different occupations. The estimated current expenditure averages rather less than 30s. per man per week, apart from the benefit drawn by the men.