HC Deb 03 December 1930 vol 245 cc2210-1
30. Mr. FREEMAN

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies in which Colonies of the British Empire forced labour is employed, with details of such conditions where available?

Dr. SHIELS

As regards the territories for the administration of which His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom is responsible where recourse can be had to compulsory labour, I would refer my hon. Friend to a reply given to a question by the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) on 16th December last, of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the second part of the question, I am afraid that in view of the great variety of forms which labour that might be held to come under this definition, may take, it is not practicable within the scope of a reply to a Parliamentary question to give any detailed statement of the conditions on which such labour is employed. My hon. friend may perhaps, however, care to refer to a publication issued by the International Labour Office of which a copy is being placed in the Library of the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in connection with another question asked by my hon. Friend. This publication contains a substantially accurate summary of the conditions on which forced labour is employed not only in the Dependencies for the administration of which His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom is responsible, but also in those of foreign Powers.

Mr. FREEMAN

Can the hon. Gentleman give us any information as regards the approximate numbers in any of these places at the same time as he is giving information on the other subject?

Dr. SHIELS

No, Sir. I am afraid it is very difficult to get information in regard to the numbers, and I am not sure that I could promise to obtain such information.

Mr. FREEMAN

Would not approximate figures be available?

Dr. SHIELS

I think if the hon. Member studies the document to which I have referred him, he will find some approximate figures there.

Captain EDEN

What is the definition of "forced labour"?

Mr. MACLEAN

Is it not as easy for the hon. Gentleman's Department to get the actual figures in this case, as it is for the Foreign Office to get statistics as to forced labour in Russia?