§ 3. Miss Rathboneasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the inadequate use now being made of the Supplementary Register, he will give further publicity to the scope of this Register, and will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the addresses of the various branches of the Register and the number of applicants 992 and vacancies registered, and of vacancies filled through the Register, distinguishing between male and female applicants and fillings?
§ Mr. BevinThe Supplementary Register is being used to an increasing extent by Government Departments and private employers, and I am not satisfied that there is any need for further publicity. The Supplementary Register is part of the Employment Exchange service, and vacancies of the kind dealt with by the Register may be notified to any local office of the Ministry. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of the various offices at which the Supplementary Register is kept at present and the number of men and women registered in and placed by the Register as a whole. The number of vacancies notified to the Register cannot be ascertained without special inquiry.
§ Miss RathboneWill the Minister consider whether through broadcasting more attention could not be drawn to the Supplementary Register, because many women and many employers of the type which the Supplementary Register is intended to serve do not know of its existence?
§ Mr. BevinI have to be careful that I do not lead people who think they ought to have these special jobs into believing that the jobs are there for them. When the registration of women is actively dealt with, I shall treat everybody equally, and I prefer to deal with it at that stage.
§ Mr. ThorneWould men and women who are not registered be entitled to write to the manager of the Employment Exchange to find out whether there is any employment for them?