§ 25. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the proposals to relieve unemployment by means of pensions, raising the school-leaving age, and reducing working hours put forward in a memorandum, of which a copy has been sent to him, signed by Mr. Ernest Bevin, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union; and whether he proposes to adopt any, or all, of the plans outlined?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI have read these proposals with great interest. As regards the question of reducing working hours, as the hon. Member knows, I have been in consultation with the National Confederation of Employers Organisations and with the Trades Union Congress General Council and the subject is under consideration by the International Labour Conference now sitting 1322 at Geneva. The other subjects mentioned in the question concern other Departments, and I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health to the hon. Member for Deritend (Mr. Smedley Crooke) on 23rd May and by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Price) on 23rd March.
§ Mr. MANDERCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has had the figures carefully checked and whether he finds any error in the calculations made?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONIs the hon. Member referring to the figures contained in the Memorandum?
§ Mr. MANDERYes.
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI am having them looked into at this moment.