§ 56. Mr. CHARLES BROWNasked the Minister of Labour the number of German workpeople who have been granted permits since April, 1932, to work in hosiery factories in Mansfield and Staple-ford, Nottinghamshire, and at Ilkeston, Derbyshire; for what periods the permits have been granted; in how many cases they have been renewed since the original period for which they were issued ended; if there have been extensions; and for what reasons such extensions were granted?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. R. S. Hudson)I can give figures in regard to three particular firms in the areas mentioned which are perhaps those the hon. Member has in mind. The number of permits issued since April to these three firms is 27. The period of the permit has varied from two to 12 months. Extensions have been granted in eight cases; these are all cases in which the aliens were originally admitted to erect foreign machines and extensions have been granted in order that they may instruct British workers in operating the machines.
§ Mr. BROWNIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the period for erecting one of these hosiery machines is about a fortnight, and that a British hosiery worker can be instructed in two days to operate it; and is he satisfied that the extension of these permits for this purpose is necessary?
§ Mr. HUDSONWe should not have granted the extension unless we had been satisfied that they were desirable.
§ 57. Mr. MABANEasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that every week German women are arriving in this country and are being placed in domestic situations by the Anglo-German bureau in Grosvenor Place; whether, as these women are being offered wages in excess of the rates commonly offered to Eng- 1124 lishwomen for similar situations, he will refrain from recommending the grant of further permits; and how many such permits have been granted to German women within the last six months?
§ Mr. HUDSONThere is a fairly constant demand for foreign domestic servants and, so far as German nationals are concerned, a considerable number are obtained through the Anglo-German Agency. The prospective employer of a foreign domestic is required to obtain a permit from the Minister of Labour. The rates of wages mentioned in the applications are not in general higher than those ordinarily paid to British domestics. The number of permits in respect of German domestics issued by my Department during the six months May to October, 1932, was 628.
§ Mr. MABANEIs it possible for my hon. Friend to represent to employers that it is against the public interest and in the highest degree unpatriotic to employ German domestic servants when English women are available?