§ 9. Sir I. Alberyasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that many local authorities have highly-trained staffs and workmen employed on non-essential work and sometimes not fully occupied; and whether he can make arrangements by which the services of a large amount of skilled labour and plant can be more fully utilised for the national effort in the present emergency?
§ Mr. BevinMy right hon. Friend the Minister of Health has circularised all local authorities requesting them to review their staffs with a view to releasing such of them as are qualified by their previous experience for employment in the armament and shipbuilding industries, and my local officers have been instructed to co-operate with the local authorities in facilitating the transfer of such men.
§ Sir I. AlberyIs the right hon. Gentleman taking into account the fact that local authorities are naturally unwilling to deplete their staffs beyond a certain framework, and would it not be better that some work should be handed over?