§ 13. Colonel Clarkeasked the Minister of Labour how many women are at present engaged in manual work on the railway track systems; and how many were similarly engaged in 1938.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe precise information requested is not available, but according to the figures published by the British Transport Commission there were, at 21st March, 162 women employed in the conciliation grades of the Civil Engineering Department.
§ Colonel ClarkeIs the Minister aware that many people are shocked at women undertaking this hard and dangerous work, and is it the policy of the Transport Commission to continue employing women on work of this sort?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe women who have voluntarily accepted this employment are entitled to the greatest approbation by Members of this House. However, they are not compelled, and I find that the number who are employed on hard manual work is extremely small, and that women are being transferred to lighter forms of work if they so wish.