§ 7. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the conditions under which labour will be recruited for the training camp to be started at Bedburn, county Durham; and, in particular, whether it is intended that the men shall work 44 hours per week on forest-clearing, trenching and drainage, road-making, and quarrying; and the wages to be paid?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe instructional centre at Hamsterley will be open on a voluntary basis to young men in the County of Durham who have been long unemployed. The work at this centre, as at other centres of this type, managed by my Department on Forestry Commission estates, will be as described by the hon. Member. It is work which would not otherwise have been put in hand, and it is to be started solely in order to provide additional training facilities for the North East coast. Wages will not be paid, but while in training, the men will continue to receive unemployment benefit, or transitional payments, as the case may be. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the leaflet setting out the objects and general conditions of admission to instructional centres.
§ Mr. BATEYAre we to understand from that reply that these men are to do this hard work for 44 hours a week for no wages?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir. The hon. Gentleman is to understand that there is a large number of men who would much prefer work to idleness.
§ Mr. LAWSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is true that this work was not put in hand because the Government stopped it by suppressing the Unemployment Grants Committee?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir, that is not true either. The work would not be put in hand at all, if it were not for this.
§ Mr. BATEYIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I wish to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment Motion tonight.