§ 6. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Labour the attitude of the Government towards the proposals with regard to a 40-hour working week brought forward at the recent meeting of the International Labour Office?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONExperience shows that an International Convention regulating hours of labour will not be ratified by the countries which are industrially important unless it can be so framed as to make provision for the very real difficulties that must be encountered in its practical application. His Majesty's Government, therefore, while favouring a full examination of the problem of reducing hours of work without reducing the standard of living of the wage-earning population, have opposed and will continue to oppose any attempt to improvise a Convention which evades the difficulties instead of solving them. Such a Convention will be of no effect save to cause friction and misunderstanding and to delay the solution of the problem with which it professes to deal.
§ Mr. MANDERDoes not my right hon. Friend think that the matter is well worthy of discussion and consideration from the national point of view, especially in view of the fact that a 40-Ihour week is definitely in operation in certain parts of this country in industry?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONIf the hon. Member will look at my answer, he will see that that is exactly what I said—that the Government favour a full examination of the problem.
§ Mr. MANDERIs it not a fact that the British representative at this Conference opposed discussion or examination of the question?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir; not at all. As I said in my answer, His Majesty's Government favour a full examination of the problem.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSHave the present Government initiated any discussion of a practical nature, instead of merely adopting the negative policy which has characterised them for 14 years?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODArising from the original reply, may I put this question to the Minister of Labour? Our organisation, the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, representing 300,000 engineers in this country, has put forward a proposal to the employers in the shipbuilding and engineering industries for a 40-hour week as a partial solution for the unemployment problem. What sort of support may we expect from the Minister of Labour, representing the Government?
| STATISTICS of determinations on applications for transitional payments are compiled in respect of public assistance authorities only, and are not available for individual Employment Exchanges. The following Table gives an analysis of the determinations made by the Glasgow Public Assistance Authority for the periods in question. | |||||
| — | Total number of applications. | Allowed at maximum benefit rates. | Allowed at lower rates. | ||
| 4th April, 1932–2nd July, 1932— | |||||
| Initial applications | … | … | 14,963 | 8,851 | 3,491 |
| Renewals and Revisions | … | … | 150,269 | 101,617 | 43,945 |
| 4th July, 1932–1st October, 1932— | |||||
| Initial applications | … | … | 10,853 | 6,456 | 2,542 |
| Renewals and Revisions | … | … | 109,075 | 73,875 | 30,788 |