§ 4. Mr. Loverseedasked the Minister of Labour the number of man-hours which have been lost to the nation through strike action; and the number of man-hours which have been lost through the action of employers suspending workpeople for alleged offences.
§ Mr. BevinEstimates of the amount of working-time lost on account of stoppages due to trade disputes are given in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," copies of which are in the Library. I am not in possession of the information asked for in the second part of the Question.
§ Mr. LoverseedDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the stoppages or loss of man-hours due to suspensions are now substantial; and is he not aware that many of these suspensions take place for most trivial reasons?
§ Mr. LoverseedIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in a factory, details of which I will supply him, workpeople are suspended for eating their sandwiches at work, when it takes 20 minutes out of half-an-hour's break to go to the canteen?
§ Mr. BevinIf the hon. Member will send me particulars, I will look into the case, but very often I have tried to get work-people to take an hour's break instead of half-an-hour and they have refused, because it puts half-an-hour on the day. I am adverse, on health grounds, to people eating in the factory, under unsatisfactory conditions.