§ 33. Major Guy Lloydasked the Minister of Labour whether, in the published returns with regard to the stoppages of work due to strikes, stoppages due to disputes not connected with terms of employment are excluded; and what is the number of working days lost during the last 12 months due to such reasons alone.
§ Mr. IsaacsThe statistics relating to industrial disputes compiled by my Department exclude stoppages of work due to disputes not connected with terms of employment or conditions of labour. I am unable to state the number of days lost through such stoppages.
§ Major LloydIs the Minister aware that the public is a great deal inconvenienced by these petty stoppages, which are due to no legitimate reason at all? Is he taking no interest or action in the matter?
§ Mr. IsaacsI do not accept that mild censure. I have been asked what are the stoppages. There was, for instance, a stoppage of work because there was a grouse about rations, another was due to a legal decision against one or more men, 671 and women went on strike about the question of a gratuity from the Women's Land Army No statistics are returnable to me for these strikes, and I have no detailed information about them, but I know that they are very small.