§ 1. Captain Gammansasked the Minister of National Insurance if he has any statement to make on the proposals to transfer the staff of his Ministry to Newcastle-on-Tyne.
§ The Minister of National Insurance (Sir William Jowitt)Discussions with regard to the location of certain groups of staff which will in due course be transferred to my Department are now proceeding with representatives of the staff. On the matter generally, I would refer to the reply given on the 5th inst. by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to questions by the hon. Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward) and the hon. and gallant Member for Bewdley (Major Conant).
§ Captain GammansDo I understand from that reply that no final decision has yet been reached, with regard to the transfer of my right hon. Friend's Department to Newcastle?
§ Sir W. JowittNo final decision has yet been reached.
§ Mr. W. J. BrownWhatever decision is ultimately come to, if it involves a permanent transfer of the staff to Newcastle or wherever is may be, will the Minister see to it that the utmost sympathy is given to cases of hardship?
§ Sir W. JowittYes, Sir, certainly; in so far as location at any new place involves inconvenience and hardship, as in many cases is inevitable, we shall certainly do 1590 our best to lessen that inconvenience and hardship, but I think it would be wrong to give up the idea of change of location simply because it involves some hardship in the first instance.
Mr. AstorIs this to be a permanent transfer, or is it a war-time measure because of housing shortage?
§ Sir W. JowittNothing has been decided at present, but what is being canvassed is in the nature of a permanent transfer.