30. Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Minister of Labour whether he has completed his scheme for making domestic service more attractive; whether he proposes to publish it for general information; how many applications were in 1937 made to the Employment Exchanges for maids of all sorts; and whether his scheme will embrace the consideration of how to make the Employment Exchanges more useful for the purpose?
§ Mr. E. BrownI have noted for consideration certain proposals made in various quarters for the formulation of a scheme of this kind but have not as yet come to any conclusion as to whether such action would be a substantial contribution to the solution of the problem or to what extent it may be a matter for the Government rather than for private initiation. The number of vacancies for women and girls in private domestic service notified to the Employment Exchanges in 1937 was 124,863.
§ 33. Mr. R. Robinsonasked the Minister of Labour whether, in investigating the 2049 shortage of hotel and other domestic workers during the summer season, his Department has made allowance for the deterring effect of the present seasonal workers' regulations under the Unemployment Insurance Acts; and whether he has any information which would show what would be the effect on the supply of such labour of a mitigation or cancellation of those regulations?
§ Mr. BrownI have no information which suggests that the Regulations referred to have had any effect in deterring persons from undertaking hotel and other domestic work during the summer season at holiday resorts.
§ Mr. RobinsonIs my right hon. Friend not well aware of the shortage of workers in that industry in the summer season, and is it not obvious that it will always be difficult to get new entrants into an industry if it is not covered by unemployment insurance?
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesWill the right hon. Gentleman see to it that better wages and better conditions are provided?