§ 70. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Minister of Labour whether her attention has been drawn to the refusal of unemployed workers to accept employment as fruit pickers in Essex; and whether she will inquire into the matter?
§ Mr. LAWSONAll orders for fruit pickers notified to the Employment Exchanges in the Colchester and Chelmsford districts of Essex have been filled or are in course of being filled, and the number of refusals of this employment offered through these exchanges is believed to be limited to eight.
§ Mr. MARCHMay I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether the Depart- 464 ment made any inquiries about the wages, hours and housing conditions of the people who were transferred from one county to another?
§ Mr. McSHANEIs it not a fact that many of those who take up this work will be refused unemployment benefit when they return?
§ Mr. LAWSONAs a matter of fact, I do not think that is so, but may I point out that there are 300 in Colchester alone who have been accepted and have accepted this work and several in other parts of the country. I think it is an exaggeration to give the impression that a large number of workers have refused this work. Of course, wherever they have refused the regular statutory authorities will deal with the matter and take all the facts into consideration.