§ 23. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Secretary of State for War whether any clothing for the troops is manufactured in the county of Durham or any other of the distressed areas; whether he is aware that work of this description would provide employment for many persons who cannot be absorbed in other industries; and whether he will consider the erection of new factories or the use of existing establishments for this purpose?
Mr. COOPERA number of contracts have been placed with firms whose factories are in areas scheduled as suffering from severe and prolonged unemployment, but none in the county of Durham as no firms in this area ire on the War Office lists of clothing contractors. My Department will always be glad to consider applications by firms in the county of Durham or other distressed areas for notation on their lists.
§ Mr. SHINWELLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the county of Durham, South Wales and other distressed areas there are thousands of young women and girls to whom work of this description would be of benefit, and will he bring to the notice of those responsible the need for providing work of this kind?
Mr. COOPERI will gladly consider any proposal that the lion. Gentleman can put forward. We have to give our contracts to the firms that apply for them, and I do not think there are any big clothing factories or firms of the kind in the county of Durham. If the hon. Gentleman can suggest anyway in which the labour in the county can be put to work in this particular branch of the Army contracts, I shall be very glad to consider it.