§ 54. Mr. W. Shepherdasked the Minister of Labour if he will state the estimated percentage of output that is being obtained per man hour today as compared with 1938.
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Isaacs)No such estimate is available.
§ Mr. ShepherdWill the Minister say why it is when these questions are raised that he always professes ignorance; and does he not realise that this is an important matter which has got to be tackled, and that he is not tackling it?
§ Mr. IsaacsI am glad that I do not equate my ignorance with that of the hon. Member on this matter. To give such an estimate, we should have to inquire in every industry. It would be of no value without absolutely reliable figures, and owing to the changes in machinery and methods of production during the war it would be impossible to obtain them without exhaustive inquiries.