§ 37. Mr. CHARLES BROWNasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the hosiery firm of Messrs. Foister, Clay and Ward, of Mansfield, are employing seven Germans; and if he will state the reasons why these seven men have been allowed to come to this country for the purpose of operating hosiery machines that can be operated by unemployed hosiery workers in the district?
Mr. HUDSONPermits were issued to this firm to employ these foreigners for the purpose of training British workpeople to operate a special type of hosiery machine obtained from Germany. The permits were for limited periods in no case exceeding six months.
§ Mr. BROWNIs the hon. Member aware that this type of machinery has been operated in the district for six or seven years past and that there is no reason at all for employing these foreign instructors?
Mr. HUDSONOur information does not bear out the hon. Member's statement. These machines were made in Germany, and these German instructors were only allowed into the country for the purpose of supervising their erection and training these employés in the use of this particular machinery.
§ Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLE.: On a point of Order. May I, Mr. Speaker, draw your attention to the fact that there is a well recognised rule of this House that any hon. Member who puts down a question on the Order Paper makes himself responsible for the facts contained therein? When I saw the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. C. Brown) last Friday, I told him that I was chairman of this company and explained to him the exact circumstances, that these foreign workmen came in temporarily and for the express purpose of training British workmen. I want to ask whether it is not an abuse of the Rules of this House that this question should appear on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere is a well-known rule that hon. Members who make statements in a question make themselves responsible for them, but they are not always right; they are sometimes wrong.
§ Mr. BROWNMay I be allowed to say, in reply to the hon. Member for New-castle-on-Tyne, North (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) that when I heard him on Friday I was unconvinced by what he had to say and. therefore, I had no alternative but to go on with the question.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs it in order for an hon. Member to rise during Question 914 Time upon a point of Order and explain his connection with a particular company? Is it not the case that he should do it immediately after questions, and not take advantage of Question Time?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is quite in order for an hon. Member to rise to a point of Order at Question Time, and I am not sure that the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) has not done BO himself. If an hon. Member wishes to make a personal statement he must, of course, wait until the end of questions.