HC Deb 07 March 1928 vol 214 cc1123-5
23. Mr. GEORGE HALL

asked the Minister of Labour what progress is being made by the Transference Board in the transfer of miners from the distressed areas in South Wales?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

As there may be some misapprehension as to the functions of the Industrial Transference Board, perhaps I may point out that the Board was appointed on 7th January last, not to supersede existing departments, but to assist in every way possible the transfers of labour that are already going on through individual initiative, through the machinery of Employment Exchanges, through the Ministry of Labour Training Centres for unemployed adults and juveniles, and through the facilities for migration overseas. The Board, in constant association with the various departments primarily concerned, has been engaged in surveying all the possible means of easing the situation and in effecting closer co-ordination of all departmental activities which may assist transfers.

Mr. BATEY

Is not the reply which the right hon. Gentleman has just given altogether different from the speech delivered by the President of the Board of Trade during the mining debate in December, when he said that the Government had decided to set up this Transference Board in order to transfer men from one district to another?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

No, not that I am aware of.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Will the right hon. Gentleman meet the President of the Board of Trade before he answers other questions and try to reconcile his answers with the speech of the President of the Board of Trade?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to put down a question.

Mr. BATEY

Are we now to understand that the Transference Board is simply a hoax and that it does not exist for the transference of miners?

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is giving an opinion.

27. Mr. TINKER

asked the Minister of Labour if instructions have been issued to Employment Exchanges respecting the selection and transference of persons to another district where they are required; and, if so, what they are?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

Where it is necessary to bring workpeople from other districts in order to meet the employers' requirements, the vacancies are circulated to areas in which suitable men are likely to be available, and so far as this is practicable an endeavour is made in appropriate cases to find openings for men from the most hard-hit areas.

29 and 30. Mr. PARKINSON

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of miners who have been transferred from the Wigan Employment Exchange to Manton, Nottingham, since 1st January, 1928; and how many men have refused to be transferred and have had their unemployment benefits stopped as a consequence;

(2) how many of the miners transferred from Wigan to Marton, Nottingham, have refused to accept or have given up the work offered and returned to Wigan; whether they have applied to be reinstated upon unemployment benefit; and, if so, how many have been reinstated and how many refused?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I am having inquiries made into the points raised in these questions and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. KIRKWOOD

Has it never occurred to the right hon. Gentleman what a terribly disastrous effect it is going to have upon the country at large, when day after day we hear question after question put regarding the miners, the men who are engaged in the key industry of this country, while they are either on the Employment Exchange or are drawing parish relief? Is it not time this Government took action and did something to relieve the present state of affairs?

Mr. SPEAKER

The subject cannot be debated now.