§ 19. Mr. David Adamsasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in contravention of the Defence (Essential Work) (General Provisions) Order, 1941, workers have been discharged from various works in Sierra Leone without notice; and why the war service officers have not prosecuted the employers concerned?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Harold Macmillan)As I informed my hon. Friend on 29th April, the Governor of Sierra Leone has told us that all reported cases of complaints by 1039 employees against dismissal without notice and without permission of the War Services Officer have been investigated by the Labour Department of the Sierra Leone Government; where necessary appropriate action has been taken to redress legitimate grievances; in no case has criminal action against an employer been necessary. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of individual cases in which he thinks that the employers concerned ought to have been prosecuted, we will ask the Governor for a report.
§ Mr. AdamsWould the Minister be good enough to make a special inquiry into the conditions of labour in Sierra Leone, in regard to which there are repeated declarations of the oppression of the workers by the employers?
§ Mr. MacmillanWe have this matter constantly under notice, and I think my hon. Friend will find that conditions are steadily improving.