§ 6. Mr. Collinsasked the Minister of Labour what changes it is intended to make in the present arrangements under which agricultural workers are not called up for service in the Forces.
§ Mr. IsaacsIt has been decided to continue for another year the present arrangements under which the call-up of bona fide agricultural workers is deferred so long as they continue to be satisfactorily employed in that industry.
§ 7. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Labour if he will ensure that skilled rural craftsmen, such as agricultural engineers whose services are indispensable to food production, will be reserved from National Service on the recommendation of the county agricultural executive committee.
§ Mr. IsaacsDeferment of call-up of rural craftsmen, such as blacksmiths or wheelwrights, living in country districts, is granted, in exceptional cases, where there is evidence that the withdrawal of their services would seriously interfere with food production. I am not, however, prepared to extend this special arrangement to workers in the engineering industry who may be employed on the manufacture or general repair of agricultural machinery, to whom the same considerations do not apply.
§ Mr. HurdIs not the Minister aware that the men of whom he has spoken who are repairing and servicing agricultural machinery are really key men in the agricultural industry? Will he look at this again to see if he can use the machinery which is in operation for reserving farm workers and thus have these men reserved?
§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir. The arrangements are working satisfactorily.
§ Mr. IsaacsThis is a difference of opinion and I stick to my opinion. The county agricultural committees can make representations to their Ministry who then bring the matter to our notice, and if they make the recommendation that it is essential for a man to be deferred, he is so deferred.
§ Mr. David RentonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the withdrawal of agricultural engineers will directly hamper the mechanical efficiency upon which the Government's programme so greatly depends? Will he say whether he has consulted his right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture about this important point?
§ Mr. IsaacsIt cannot really be argued that the withdrawal of a young man of 17 or 18 years of age from an agricultural engineering shop in an engineering centre will entail any real hardship for anyone.
§ Mr. BaldwinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a much more serious problem than he seems to think? A withdrawal may well lead to unemployment for those men who rely on the repair of machinery. In my constituency several cases have arisen where key men have been called up and it has not been possible to replace them. Will the right hon. Gentleman give this matter further consideration?
§ Mr. IsaacsI can only say that whenever a case is brought to our attention where it is impossible to replace a man in a rural area like that, deferment is granted to him.
§ Mr. HurdIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this concerns not young men of 17 or 18 but men who have completed their apprenticeship? They are skilled men.
§ Mr. IsaacsThat means that they have already had the advantage of deferment when they exercised their choice earlier.