§ 9. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked the Minister of Labour whether, in order to prevent the loss to the building trade of trained men, he will make arrangements for building trade apprentices to have the opportunity of doing their National Service in the Service and in that branch of that Service wherein they are most likely to keep contact with the work for which they are trained.
§ Mr. IsaacsGeneral arrangements on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend already exist, but the number of building trade workers at present required in the Forces for work in their trade capacity is so limited that many of the men becoming available for call-up must be otherwise employed. I do not, however, accept the suggestion that such men would necessarily be lost to the building industry.
§ Mr. MallalieuIs it not possible for my right hon. Friend to arrange for a transfer from one service to another if it is found that a man can thereby be kept more closely in contact with work for which he is trained?
§ Mr. IsaacsEven if that were possible, we could not restrict it to the building trade. We should find ourselves pressed by demands for all kinds of tradesmen to be shifted from one Service to another.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesDoes not the Minister realise that as we are assured that housing is priority number one in Scotland, this would greatly help to solve our problems?