§ 2. Mr. George Porterasked the Minister of Labour if he is in a position to place the building trade workers who have received notice to terminate their employment with the Ministry of Works at Liverpool.
§ Sir W. MoncktonIf these men, whose ages range from 66 to 74, register for further employment every effort will be made to place them.
§ Mr. PorterDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman not realise that if his colleagues at the Ministry of Works had taken notice of the speech which he made on 5th April, asking for aged workers to be kept in employment, it would not have been necessary for me to ask this Question?
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe point is that these persons have not yet registered at the employment exchanges and their employment has not come to an end. In that age range, what we have particularly to consider is the strength and ability of the men as well as their willingness to work.
§ Mr. PorterDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman understand that the type of work for which these men are called upon is more suitable for aged craftsmen than for the new entrants who are learning the trade at present?
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe information I had was that they were joiners, painters, bricklayers and labourers who were likely to be affected.