HC Deb 03 July 1956 vol 555 cc1132-3
3. Mr. Lee

asked the Minister of Labour to state the nationalised industries which are short of manpower with the numbers now required in each case.

Mr. Iain Macleod

Present manpower shortages in the nationalised industries are mainly in coal mining and railway employment. I understand that the National Coal Board would welcome a net increase of 10,000 on its present labour force by the end of the year. But to reverse the normal seasonal trend between June and December to this extent would require recruitment of about 45,000 men. I understand that staff shortages on British Railways total about 26,000.

Mr. Lee

Would the Minister remember that there has been much agitation by the British Employers' Confederation and the F.B.I. against the nationalised industries giving advances which the F.B.I. considers not warranted? Do not the figures which the right hon. Gentleman has given show that, in fact, there cannot possibly be too high a wage scale in those industries, otherwise there would not be this vast number of vacancies?

Mr. Macleod

I am afraid that I could not accept all the implications contained in that supplementary question. There are certainly great numbers of vacancies here, as there are in many fields of private industry which as well are equally of the first importance. I think it is worth making the point that these vacancies which I have mentioned are very much higher than those shown at the employment exchanges throughout the country.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Arising out of the Minister's first reply, in which he said that the coal industry would require 10,000 men by the end of the year, may I ask whether his Department is giving careful consideration to what is the biggest change which has taken place in recent years, namely, that there is no prospect of 10,000 men being recruited in the mining areas, and that therefore they will have to be recruited outside those areas? Are he and his Department studying that problem?

Mr. Macleod

Yes, we are studying it in many areas. As I indicated last week, the National Coal Board has recruiting schemes in other areas. It is not just the recruitment of 10,000; as I am sure the right hon. Gentleman appreciates, in order to get a net increase of 10,000 we have to get 45,000 men.