§ 4. Sir ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELasked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to assist the hotel and restaurant industry to make good the shortage in the supply of trained employes; and whether he is organising in the larger towns in the Special Areas facilities to train adults and juveniles so as to enable them to obtain employment in hotels and restaurants?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADAssistance to unemployed adults and juveniles to obtain employment as waiters, waitresses, cooks, kitchen assistants, etc., in the hotel and restaurant industry, as well as in public institutions, is given by the Department by means of grants to various institutions and training schemes. In addition a special training course for waiters is provided by my Department at a restaurant attached to the Government training centre at Park Royal. The training courses themselves are mostly in areas of good employment, but in the selection of applicants preference is given to persons resident in the Special Areas and certain other areas of heavy unemployment. Having regard to the requirements of this industry, it is a matter for regret that some difficulty is experienced in obtaining the required number of applicants.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELIn view of the fact that there are 5,000 vacancies open for employment to trained persons in London and the Southern Counties in the 1888 catering trades does it not seem that we ought to take steps to press local authorities, especially in South Wales, in order that they may try to attract young people and give them instruction, not only as waiters, but in the higher grades of the hotel and restaurant industry? Does not my hon. and gallant Friend see that this need to train young people for the catering trades which is everybody's business, appears to be therefore nobody's business?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI have already stressed that there are facilities open in this particular line of employment. There are, as my hon. Friend appreciates, a number of vacancies obtainable.
§ Mr. BANFIELDDoes not the hon. and gallant Gentleman realise that the conditions of labour in this industry are very bad indeed, and will be consider, if he wishes to attract people to this industry, setting up a trades board, so that they may get some guarantee of better conditions of labour?
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in this occupation the employers themselves refused to have a trade board, and therefore do not assure the payment of decent wages?
§ Lieut. - Colonel MUIRHEADThe matter of a trade board would arise on a different question.
§ Mr. BANFIELDSurely it is related?