HC Deb 08 April 1948 vol 449 cc351-2
46. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Labour, how many men and women, formerly employed in other industries in this country, have been placed in agriculture by his Department in the past year.

The Minister of Labour (Mr. Isaacs)

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

Mr. Hurd

Is it not desirable to have some check on the good or ill effects of the Government's campaign to try to get more men transferred to this industry?

Mr. Isaacs

We have the statistics of the overall numbers that have been induced to go into the agricultural industry, but we have not the exact list of industries in which the men were previously occupied. I will see if we can give that without a great deal of unnecessary trouble.

Lieut-Commander Gurney Braithwaite

Would the Minister circulate that figure in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Mr. Isaacs

That will be considered.

Mr. Wyatt

Would my right hon. Friend agree that it would be unwise to accept every request from Members of the Opposition to have further hordes of bureaucrats to undertake work of this kind?