§ 34. Major POLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, as representing the Forestry Commission, how many men are at present engaged by his Department with works of afforestation; how many of these are temporary workers drawn from the distressed areas; how many are permanently settled on small holdings in connection with forestry work; if he will state how many 1710 men drawn from distressed areas have been settled on small holdings by the Commission; and whether such persons are able by work at afforestation on their holdings to maintain their wives and families?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. W. R. Smith)The Forestry Commission are at present employing 2,295 men, 38 women and 302 juveniles. It is not known how many of these are temporary workers drawn from the distressed areas. 620 of the men occupy forest workers' holdings, and the families of some of them are also employed. 59 ex-miners occupying holdings are from the distressed areas scheduled by the Ministry of Labour. The Commissioners are of opinion that the tenants of forest workers' holdings, with the wages which they earn on afforestation work, supplemented by the produce of their holdings, should be in a better position to maintain their wives and families than workers on the land who have no holdings. Some of the exminers have been assisted to tide over temporary difficulties incidental to the cultivation of new holdings.
§ Mr. LAWTHERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the intense dissatisfaction that exists on the part of the transferred miners?
§ Mr. SMITHI am aware that there is dissatisfaction. The whole question of wages is under consideration.