HC Deb 15 April 1937 vol 322 cc1162-3
26. Mr. Silverman

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will instruct His Majesty's representative at the Textile Conference to co-operate actively in the efforts now being made to establish on an international basis a 40-hour working week?

Mr. E. Brown

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne) on 12th April, of which I am sending him a copy.

Mr. Silverman

Is the Government representative, in the absence of such instructions, in fact co-operating with all those, including the Japanese representatives, who are working against the establishment of a 40-hour week?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Member misconceives the purpose of these deliberations. This is a conference called as the result of discussions at Geneva last year, not for the purpose he suggests, but for setting out the facts.

Mr. Silverman

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at that conference, on the invitation of His Majesty's Government representative himself, there was initiated a discussion on this matter and that His Majesty's Government representative ranged himself on the side of those who did all they could to impede the reaching of an international agreement on the matter?

Mr. Brown

The hon. Member is mistaken. This was not an attempt to originate a national agreement at all. If such an agreement were arrived at, it would be arrived at in Geneva in the ordinary way. This is an extraordinary conference, held largely as the result of representations made by the Government, for the purpose of setting out all the facts.