4. Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Labour whether he will make an estimate of the number of foreign workers accepted into British industry since the end of the war.
§ 5. Mr. G. Darlingasked the Minister of Labour how many persons who can be classified as refugees, including members of the Polish Army, displaced persons, European voluntary workers and others, have found work in this country since 1940; and what objections have been made to him against their employment by any trade union.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodIt is estimated that since the war about 260,000 foreign workers have been permitted to take up employment in industry in Great Britain. About 205,000 foreigners who can be broadly classified as refugees have entered industrial or other employment. Their resettlement has been accomplished with the co-operation of the trade unions.
Mr. LeeI am very appreciative of the nature of the Minister's reply. Does he not agree that it is a very fine thing that a nation such as ours can agree to help, to the extent represented by this huge figure, people who otherwise would have been unemployed in their own country, and who, when they have come here, in the main have done a jolly good job of work for the country as a whole?
§ Mr. MacleodYes. Of course, the trade union movement, which is a very typical British institution, shares the ordinary liberal and humanist sympathies which we all have.