§ 11. Mr. Leslie Boyceasked the Minister of Labour how, in view of the present policy of drafting labour to large firms of contractors at the expense of the smaller firms, he proposes to meet urgent post-war building requirements, seeing that many of the firms which would be necessary for that purpose are now being rendered inoperative through having their labour taken away and through not being allowed to quote for work urgently required by Government Departments?
§ Mr. BevinThe overriding consideration at the present time must be the speedy completion of works of special urgency and this must involve the transfer so far as necessary of labour from less essential work, irrespective of the size of the firms concerned. With regard to the use of the smaller builders, I would refer the hon. Member to the Reply given on 28th July by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Planning to the hon. and gallant Member for Kettering (Captain Profumo).