§ 5. Mr. TINKERasked the Minister of Labour if it has been brought to her notice that coal miners are being sent from Atherton Employment Exchange, Lancashire, to Bilsthorpe collieries, Nottingham, to work under conditions that are unacceptable to unemployed miners in Nottingham and who refuse to go to Bilsthorpe; and will she cause inquiries to be made so as to prevent men being made to accept employment such a long distance away from their homes while there are unemployed miners in the locality to which they are sent?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI am informed that all local colliery workers below the age limits specified by the employer and able to pass the requisite medical examination having already been placed, vacancies at this colliery amounting to 73 in the last six months have been filled by men from other districts. Eleven of these men came from Atherton and 41 from Nottingham. The second part of the question therefore does not arise.
§ Mr. TINKERCan the right hon. Lady say whether the local Exchange officials made inquiries from the trade unions in the locality as to whether they could supply the men, before they sent outside the district?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIf the hon. Member will give notice of that question, I will inquire. My impression is that inquiries were made.
§ Mr. CHARLES BROWNIs the right hon. Lady aware of the fact that there is a proposal at this moment to transfer unemployed miners from this area to the Thorne colliery in Yorkshire?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI shall be very glad to see my two hon. Friends on this matter, if they will come to see me.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKIs it not a good thing that these men from outside should be employed, if they can get full employment and good wages?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI think it is a very bad thing, if there are miners available in the district to do the work, that people should be brought in from outside.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKI thought the right hon. Lady said that there were no men available in the district.
§ 18. Mr. LAWTHERasked the Minister of Labour the number of miners who have been transferred from other areas to Snowdown colliery, Kent; how many have settled; how many have returned; and of those who have returned the number who have had their return fares paid, within the period from 1st July, 1929, to 1st February, 1930?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI am having inquiries made and will write to my hon. Friend.
§ 19. Mr CHARLES WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour the number of people for whom work was found under the transfer of labour scheme in the last quarter of 1928 and of 1929?
§ Miss BONDFIELDDuring the period 18th August, 1929 to 20th January, 1930, approximately 12,250 persons were transferred from depressed areas under the industrial transference scheme as compared with approximately 11,000 in the corresponding period a year before.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Lady tell me whether the trade unions and the Trade Union Council have been enthusiastic in giving their support to the Government scheme for finding work for these men?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of this question.