§ 7. Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Labour why his Department issues permits to foreign cooks to work in restaurants but refuses in the case of cafés, and what is the difference.
§ Sir W. MoncktonPermits for foreign cooks are issued only to catering establishments whose trade necessitates the employment of fully skilled and experienced workers.
§ Mrs. JegerDoes that mean there ought to be a differentiation in the case of establishments which cater, as does the one about which I have written to the Minister, for Covent Garden porters who work at difficult hours in the morning? Is there any reason why they should be deprived of the services of experienced cooks just because the establishments in which they eat are persistently referred to as cafés?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI do not think that the description of the place as a café would be sufficient. The advice upon which I work is that of the National Joint Advisory Committee for the Catering Industry, which has decided that the test shall be whether there is a necessity for special skill and experience.
§ Mr. ManuelWould not the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that if the volume of its trade requires that a café should have a full-time cook it should be dealt with in the same manner as a restaurant designated as such?
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe question is whether the requirements of the café necessitate someone with special skill and experience, and that is a matter on which I take advice.