§ 27. Mr. Brewisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is the policy of his Department to employ children under school leaving age for traffic census duties; and if he will issue a direction that in future traffic enumerators will be engaged through the local employment exchange.
§ Mr. NobleTraffic censuses are normally carried out by localhighway authorities and I am not aware that children under school-leaving age have been employed for this purpose.
§ Mr. BrewisSurely it is much better to employ the fathers of the families rather than the children. As this is a very small matter, surely we should take into account what we save in unemployment pay and issue some directive.
§ Mr. NobleMy hon. Friend probably is aware that in his area there have been three traffic censuses in the last twenty-five years and that each lasted for a week. I can pay a local authority only a 50 per cent. grant towards its costs, and I must leave it to the local authority to use the available labour sensibly and effectively.