HC Deb 20 July 1943 vol 391 cc668-9
11. Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether there is any liaison between his Department and the Ministry of Labour so that when workers are rendered unemployed by the concentration of industry they are certain of employment in other spheres and that concentration is not enforced to the point when factories, not on essential war work, cannot absorb their original employees declared redundant in war industries?

Mr. Dalton

Yes, Sir. I am in the closest, touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour on all these matters.

Mr. Davies

Has my right hon. friend had brought to his notice cases where workpeople are being dismissed because of concentration and have not been able to find employment?

Mr. Dalton

If my hon. friend will send me particulars, I will pass them on, or, better still, he might send them direct to my right hon. friend the Minister of Labour, who, I am sure, will be glad to know where any available labour can be used in the present tasks with which he is concerned.

Sir H. Williams

Is it not now common knowledge that unemployment is growing in nearly every part of the country and that Members are receiving complaints in their constituencies about the matter?

Mr. Dalton

No, I think that in view of the immensity of the war effort and the constant need to switch from one form of production to another as the war develops, it is astonishing how the labour supply has been absorbed. But, I repeat, particulars of this sort might well be sent to the Minister of Labour.

Mr. R. J. Taylor

Is not my right hon. friend aware that unemployment is growing and is largely due to the fact that we have not had an even distribution of factories for war purposes?