§ 18. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Mooreasked the Minister of Labour his policy in regard to the calling up of women employed in the book trade?
§ Mr. BevinWomen employed in the book production trade born after 31st August, 1915, are liable to be withdrawn subject to the provisions of substitutes for certain classes of productive workers. Women born before that date are not, for the present, being withdrawn from this industry. The book selling trade is treated as one of the retail non-food distributive trades. As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Butcher) on 17th December, all women employed in these trades, who were born on or after 1st January, 1907, are available for withdrawal, but provision has been made for the retention of pivotal workers for a period not exceeding six months.
§ Sir T. MooreAs it seems to be obviously the desire of the Government that good books should be bought and read, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it requires competent and experienced assistants to sell them and that these assistants take some years to train, and will he bear that in mind?
§ Mr. BevinWe will bear that in mind, but one of the difficulties about the book trade in applying the Orders is that they are not all good books that are being printed.