§ 23. Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated percentage saving in cost of a standard or average yard of cotton cloth to be secured by introduction of a two-shift system of working.
§ Mr. H. StraussIt is impossible to give an estimate. The amount would depend on the particular circumstances of the mill concerned.
§ Mr. HaleArising out of the answer—which, for a number of reasons, I did not completely hear—may I ask whether it would be a good idea in Lancashire to restore full employment to the spinning section before making appeals for altering the whole system of working in order to endeavour to secure a minor economy which is normally computed at a very small sum?
§ Mr. StraussI presume that the hon. Member knows the complexity of the economic question involved, but he will have noticed that on 25th February the National Joint Advisory Council agreed that benefit might be derived by the introduction of double-shift working, and that it was a matter for local agreement by the parties concerned.
§ Mr. OsborneCould my hon. and learned Friend say whether it is not true that the institution of double-shift working would so reduce our costs of production as to give the fuller employment that single shifts by themselves will not provide?
§ Mr. StraussI should prefer not to add, at this moment, to the conclusions reached by the National Joint Advisory Council. The economics of this question are very complicated.