§ 51. Mr. Channonasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered the complaints that the supply of Women's Land Army uniform, particularly greatcoats, waterproofs and boots, is unsatisfactory and inadequate; and whether he is satisfied with the present position?
§ Later—
Mr. HudsonI am afraid that with the very rapid growth of the Women's Land Army this year some delay has been caused by the need to wait for the manufacture of suitable material, particularly in the case of greatcoats. We have however been fortunate in obtaining some thousands of coats from the Auxiliary Territorial Service, though we might have got more had it not been for the unexpected fact that the conformation of members of the Women's Land Army in material particulars is substantially different from that of the A.T.S. and because the A.T.S. is itself short of the sizes we most need. I am satisfied that adequate supplies are coming in and are now on order for the further large expansion of the Women's Land Army which I expect in coming months.
Following some unfortunate experiences with light-weight mackintoshes and oilskins, which although satisfactory for a time appeared to deteriorate, orders were placed for heavy-weight mackintoshes. Unfortunately the ban that had to be imposed earlier this year on supplies of rubber proofing prevented the fulfilment of these orders. Actually 51,000 oilskins and over 10,000 strong mackintoshes have been issued to the counties since 1st January, 1942. Mackintosh shortages seem, therefore, to be entirely due to the need for replacing faulty garments. The position is now much improved since, in addition to substantial quantities of heavy oilskins supplied through the good offices of the Admiralty, we are now obtaining good supplies of strong mackintoshes made up from stocks of ready proofed material which has been bought up specially for the Women's Land Army.
There is some conflict of evidence on the subject of Land Army footwear. There was a very awkward period of shortage 1298 following the cancellation of all gumboot contracts last April on the instruction of the Rubber Control as it took time before leather boots to replace gumboots could be manufactured in sufficient quantity. The rubber shortage has made it necessary for us to conserve the limited supplies of gumboots available for those workers for whom their use is virtually essential. Supplies of leather boots are now adequate and under recent rubber allocations for the Land Army it is possible to provide gumboots for a fairly high proportion of employed Land Army vounteers. A member of the Women's Land Army who does not receive gumboots may receive as her footwear issue two pairs of stout leather boots, one pair of shoes and a pair of proofed canvas legings. If two pairs of Land Army boots are kept for use at work and are well greased and worn with proofed leggings, they should in my view prove quite satisfactory.
There were other temporary and troublesome shortages this summer of items of uniform containing cotton, e.g. breeches, shirts, dungarees and milking coats, cotton being in particularly short supply owing to military requirements for tropical kit. These deficiencies are now almost all being made good although there are still shortages in particular sizes.
I am satisfied that the Women's Land Army authorities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Supply, who are responsible for placing the orders, have been and are taking every possible step to secure adequate supplies of suitable garments.
§ Mr. BossomCan the right hon. Gentleman state how soon these overcoats will be available for the girls of the Land Army? Is he aware that the Italian prisoners have all got long rubber boots, and why cannot they be given to the girls who work on the land?
Mr. HudsonThere are 53,000 members of the Women's Land Army in employment, and over 57,000 greatcoats have been issued to counties, and if at the present time anyone cannot get a greatcoat, it is due to the fact that the particular size required cannot be obtained. As far as Italian prisoners are concerned, it is not the fact that they all have boots; on the contrary a great deal of drainage work is being held up because we cannot get enough boots for them.
§ Mr. BossomWill the Minister come down to Kent and see all the Italian prisoners walking about in their rubber boots?
§ Mr. Ralph EthertonWill the Minister explain how the conformation of members of the A.T.S. differs from that of the personnel of the Women's Land Army?
§ 52. Mr. W. J. Edwardsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether a free railway warrant is given to all members of the Women's Land Army when proceeding on their seven days' annual leave?
Mr. HudsonEvery member of the Women's Land Army working 20 miles or more from home is entitled to receive a free railway warrant covering her journey home as soon after the completion of each six months period of satisfactory service as her employer can arrange for her to have leave.
§ Mr. EdwardsIn view of the fact that those working less than 20 miles from their home are obviously penalised because of that fact, will the Minister agree that in all cases this free travel warrant should be allowed?
§ Mr. RadfordDoes not the Minister agree that seven days' leave per annum for these girls who are working seven days a week is inadequate? No other class of worker in the country has so short a holiday when working seven days a week.
Mr. HudsonThose are the days to which they are legally entitled under the orders of the agricultural wages committee in the particular county.
§ Mr. StephenWill the Minister not take steps to make things a little more comfortable for those who are doing such useful work?
§ 53. Mr. W. J. Edwardsasked the Minister of Agriculture whether members of the Women's Land Army receive any payment of wages or compensation during the period they are unable to work through meeting with an accident during the course of their employment?
Mr. HudsonAn employed member of the Women's Land Army has precisely the same right as any other agricultural worker to compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act in respect of the 1300 result of an accident occurring during the course of her employment.
§ Mr. EdwardsCan the Minister, assure me that the members of the Women's Land Army are aware of these rights which they have? I have been informed of a case where a young lady has been out of work for a month through an accident at work and has not been in receipt of any pay whatever.
§ Mr. StephenAre women not entitled to a pension from the Ministry of Pensions if they fall ill as a result of work?