HC Deb 02 July 1935 vol 303 cc1795-7

8.35 p.m.

Mr. GUY

I beg to move, in page 17, line 17, after "staff," to insert: including trained women property managers. This is a very similar Amendment to that which I previously moved, except that it deals with the staff of the housing commissions. It is equally important that the staffs of these commissions, apart from the question whether they are men or women, should be properly trained. There are certain women who have gone into this profession of housing management, and, if there is a good supply of women candidates for these vacancies when they occur, I venture to suggest that they should be considered, not from the point of view of preference for them because they are women, but, as my right hon. Friend said on the previous Amendment, from the point of view of getting the best available people for this work.

8.36 p.m.

Mr. ALBERT RUSSELL

I beg to second the Amendment.

After the sympathetic remarks of the Secretary of State as to, the importance and expediency of having trained women to carry out the duties which housing management commissions will be empowered to carry out under the Bill, I do not think it is necessary for me to say any more in seconding my hon. Friend's Amendment.

8.37 p.m.

Sir G. COLLINS

I am sure my hon. Friends will understand that it is undesirable to specify in the Bill any particular type of staff, because that might lead to the exclusion of others. Moreover, I am informed that the term "trained women property managers" has no specific legal meaning, so that, when the words came to be interpreted, not merely by those who will be administering the Act to-day, but by those who will have to administer it to-morrow, they might find themselves in some difficulty. I assure my hon. Friends, however, that the Government will give the most sympathetic consideration to any proposals in schemes submitted under the Clause for the employment of women property managers by housing management commissions, and I hope they will feel that that assurance is reasonably satisfactory.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

8.38 p.m.

Sir G. COLLINS

I beg to move, in page 17, line 17, to leave out "payment to persons so employed of."

This Amendment and the following one—in line 19, to leave out "of superannuation allowances," and insert "the superannuation of persons so employed"—are purely drafting Amendments. Taken together, they will make the paragraph read as follows: (c) as to the employment by the Commission of officers and staff and the remuneration out of funds under the control of the commission and the superannuation of persons so employed.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 17, line 19, leave out "of superannuation allowances," and insert "the superannuation of persons so employed."

In page 18, line 2, leave out from "provide," to "for," in line 4.

In line 5, leave out from "enactments," to end of Sub-section, and insert: (including schemes) governing the superannuation of persons employed by the local authority for the purposes of the superannuation of persons employed by the Commission as if they had been persons employed by the local authority and as if employment by the Commission had been employment by the local authority."—[Sir G. Collins.]