HC Deb 23 June 1938 vol 337 cc1246-8
9. Mr. Graham White

asked the Minister of Labour whether a recipient of pay for a holiday period under an agreed scheme for holidays with pay is entitled, during the holiday period, to continue his employment or to seek employment elsewhere?

Mr. E. Brown

I understand that the great majority of these agreements contain no provision on this subject. In a few cases it is stipulated that holiday pay is not due if the worker works in his own trade during the holiday and, in others, if he works at any gainful employment.

Mr. White

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep a searchlight on this particular matter, in view of the anxiety in some quarters as to the development of the practice referred to?

Mr. Brown

I will watch it very carefully, but, as the House will understand, the trades concerned are trades where there are the most effective collective agreements, and the understanding has been regularly and well carried out.

Mr. Roland Robinson

Will my right hon. Friend advise that people taking paid holidays should not be allowed to follow this practice?

Mr. J. Griffiths

What would be the position of men in receipt of unemployment assistance who had become entitled to holidays with pay before becoming unemployed?

Mr. Brown

That question was put to me the other day by my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward), and I pointed out to her that such cases had been submitted to the umpire for decision.

28 and 3 Mr. R. Robinson

asked the Minister of Labour (I) whether the standing inter-departmental committee to deal with the co-ordination of holiday arrangements has now been set up; who is chairman of this committee; and what are its functions;

(2) whether he has now set up the special branch of his Department to carry out the recommendations of the Holidays with Pay Committee; what is its personnel; and what are its functions?

Mr. Brown

The standing inter-departmental committee is being set up by the appointment of representatives of all the Government Departments concerned and will work under the chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour. Its functions will be to coordinate the activities of the different Departments in this connection. For the time being the work connected with this committee and other questions arising out of the Government's policy in regard to holidays with pay is being done by a branch of the General Department of the Ministry. I cannot at this stage foresee to what extent that staff will need to be increased as a result of the extra work which will no doubt fall upon it.

Mr. Robert Gibson

Will the committee also deal with the question of the dates of the school holidays in all parts of the country?

Mr. Brown

Yes, Sir. That is what the committee is intended to do, to see that all the questions affecting all departments come under review.