§ 24. Mr. Pooleasked the Home Secretary (1), when his Department expect to be able to give a decision in regard to the application of Messrs. Duromould Products, Limited, relating to Giovanni Guerci and Augusto Sacchet, as the application was made more than two months ago;
(2), whether he has considered an application from Messrs. Duromould Products, Limited, of New Bond Street, for permission for two Italian subjects to be employed by them; whether he is aware that these men are essential key men, and that failure to grant permission is holding up the employment of 60 men at the firm's Kettlebrook Mill, Tamworth; and whether, in view of the fact that the application is now two months' old, he will expedite the granting of the necessary permission?
§ Sir S. HoareCertain inquiries have had to be undertaken by the Home Office and the Ministry of Labour in dealing with this application. These have now been completed, and I am glad to be able 574 to inform the hon. Member that permission has been granted to Guerci to enter the employment of Duromould Products, Limited, for a period of 12 months in the first instance and that a permit has been issued by the Ministry of Labour to enable the company to engage the services of Sacchet from abroad to assist Guerci in the work and for the purpose of training British subjects.
§ Mr. PooleIs the Minister aware that the great delay which has taken place between his Department and the Ministry of Labour has resulted in 100 men being stopped to-morrow instead of additional employment for 60 men? Is it not a serious thing that a delay of 10 weeks in dealing with an application like this should have such serious effects on industry? Is it not possible for some steps to be taken to speed up the granting of these permits?
§ Sir S. HoareI do not think the facts are as the hon. Member has stated. The delay has not been due to unnecessary time being spent by the Home Office, but to the fact that a number of complicated inquiries were necessary in this case. The first application was for these two individuals to start business for themselves. The application was subsequently changed, and this change in itself meant further delay.
§ Mr. PooleIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have telephoned both his Department and the Ministry of Labour and have failed to elicit any information from either, and that, in addition, I endeavoured to interview the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, who was too busy to see me even on such a vital matter as this?