§ 9. Mr. Errollasked the Minister of Labour the reasons for retaining the operation of the Notification of Vacancies Order, Statutory Instrument, 1952, No. 136, as amended by Statutory Instrument, 1952, No. 1402.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe Order is designed to provide opportunities for employment exchanges to inform persons seeking employment, or a change of employment, of the jobs which most need to be filled in the national interest. There is still a big demand for labour for vacancies of national importance, particularly on export work, and the Order is continuing to assist substantially in getting these filled.
§ Mr. ErrollAs the Order is disregarded on a very wide scale, could not the Minister consider discontinuing or, at least, modifying it so that it does not apply to the whole working population, as it does today?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI do not accept my hon. Friend's view that it is being largely disregarded. I think it will put the matter into proportion if I say that we are placing nearly 250,000 workers every four weeks. As long as we get that sort of flow through the employment exchanges, I think we need to have this Order.