26. Miss Wardasked the Minister of Labour whether he will instruct managers of Employment Exchanges to seek personal interviews with employers of labour with a view to placing, where possible, a proportion of elderly unemployed men?
§ Mr. E. BrownIt is the practice of officers engaged in placing work to bring, in appropriate cases, the claims of suitable older men to the attention of employers who have notified vacancies. While I sympathise with the intention of my hon. Friend's suggestion, I do not think the issue of a general instruction is desirable as the value of a personal approach in any individual case is best left to the judgment of the officers concerned in the light of their local knowledge and of the particular circumstances of the case.
Miss WardWill my righthon. Friend bear in mind that it appears from inquiry that certain large industries have never been approached on this matter, as individuals? In view of the persuasive power of my right hon. Friend, will he consider looking at it from a new point of view and a new approach on behalf of the elderly unemployed men?