§ 2. Mr. Linsteadasked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied that labour employed in the parks departments of local authorities is, in general, being used for the furthering of the war effort; and, in particular, what was the result of his enquiry into the circumstances in which, on Friday, 12th November, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, 10 men and one woman were raking leaves in Battersea Park and burning them.
§ Mr. BevinI am satisfied that all labour which could better be employed elsewhere has been withdrawn from work in public parks, and that, having regard to the ages and medical categories of the persons employed, I cannot make a special point of the operations in Battersea Park to which my hon. Friend refers.
§ Mr. LinsteadWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his reply, may I ask whether he will consider making representations to the London County Council, because of the unfortunate effect on the public of seeing numbers of people doing what appears to them to be work of less than national importance at this time?
§ Mr. BevinI think the maintenance of public parks by people over military age and not fit for other work is a very essential thing.