HC Deb 10 December 1942 vol 385 c1677
11. Mr. Simmonds

asked the Minister of Labour the approximate annual turnover for women in the engineering industry, up to the most recent convenient date, as a percentage of the average number of women employed during the year?

Mr. Bevin

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

Mr. Simmonds

Would my right hon. Friend watch this matter carefully, because this figure is growing, and it would appear that there is an increasing movement of women in industry, so that they are leaving jobs at which they have become semi-skilled and taking up new work where they clearly cannot give the same degree of productivity?

Mr. Bevin

We are watching the process very carefully. If the employers would operate the Essential Work Order properly, the thing could be checked.

Mr. Simmonds

Does that not apply also to some of the National Service Officers?

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