HC Deb 19 February 1948 vol 447 cc1329-32
52. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that German women are to come to this country to work in undermanned industries, he will extend this arrangement

London Appointments Office, which covers the London and South Eastern Region, placed 6,708 in employment and the Technical and Scientific Register which covrs the whole country placed 2,808.

55. Mr. Cooper

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of names now registered with the Appointments Branch seeking appointments; what is the total number of names registered since the inception of the scheme and the total number of appointments obtained, giving the percentage of successful appointments obtained, compared with the total number of names registered since the inception of the scheme.

Mr. Isaacs

As the reply contains a number of figures I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Cooper

In view of the fact that there are some 2,000 officials in this section of the Ministry of Labour and that the cost is not far short of £1 million a year, is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the information which is now available indicates that this section is being run really efficiently and that every official is pulling his full weight?

Mr. Isaacs

That is quite another question and I do not see how it arises out of my answer.

Following are the figures:

to those prisoners of war who have been repatriated and who are anxious to return.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Ness Edwards)

No, Sir. The proposal to introduce German women is related to the special needs for women in particular industries and to the fact that the supply of single women amongst displaced persons is becoming exhausted, while that of men displaced persons is still adequate.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Is there not a measure of inconsistency in this policy; and does not my right hon. Friend recognise that to allow Italian prisoners to come back here and to forbid Germans to return seems absurd when we want all the production we can get?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I should have thought that our first obligation was to the victims of Nazism in Germany?

Mr. Scollan

Is it not the case that we need the Italians to make ice cream?

54. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in the case of those prisoners of war who have no homes, relatives or work to which to return and who wish to stay in this country in employment in undermanned industries, he will make arrangements to have them classified and treated as displaced persons.

Mr. Ness Edwards

No, Sir. Such prisoners of war have the same opportunity as other prisoners of war to volunteer for employment in agriculture, but there are no other arrangements under which they can stay on in this country.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Will my right hon. Friend do all he can to arrange for an expansion of the industries in which these prisoners can stay in view of the fact that in many instances they are undermanned and there is not enough British labour to secure the necessary production in them?

Mr. Ness Edwards

No, Sir. There are plenty of displaced persons in Germany to whom we have a moral obligation. These prisoners of war are now engaged in agriculture. If they want to continue to stay here, they can do so by remaining in the jobs where they are now.

Sir Ralph Glyn

May I ask whether in the case of a German who is remaining here in a civilian capacity and has a wife in the British or American zones, permission will be given for that man to have his wife here provided accommoda- tion can be made available without upsetting British people?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I should like to see that question on the Order Paper. I could not give an answer straight away.

Mr. Stokes

Arising out of the original answer, and having regard to the very serious representations made by liaison officers and camp commandants, do I understand from my right hon. Friend that in the case of these technical people who stayed behind and volunteered for farm labour, some hope can be held out that some day in the future they will be allowed to transfer to something more suitable?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I do not want to be unsympathetic but I must emphasise to the House that our first obligation is to the victims of these people in Germany and we must try to get them fixed up before we start extending preferences to the Germans.

Mr. Vane

When the right hon. Gentleman uses the word "agriculture," is he referring to agriculture in the sense of persons whose wages are governed by the Agricultural Wages Act or agriculture in its narrower sense?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I refer to agriculture in the wider sense.

Mr. Bramall

Why are prisoners of war in the County of Kent who desire to remain here, not allowed to do so?

Mr. Ness Edwards

I have no knowledge of that but I will certainly look into the matter.