HL Deb 05 December 1950 vol 169 cc717-8

2.37 p.m.

LORD TEVIOT

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government the approximate numbers of employees in the engineering industry who are working on day and night shifts respectively, and what is the proportion of engineering machinery standing idle at night.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I regret that this information is not available, and to obtain it would involve a detailed inquiry throughout the engineering industry.

LORD TEVIOT

My Lords, while I can hardly thank the noble Lord for a very intelligent reply to my Question, I would ask him whether or not it would be possible to get this information, and also to find out whether the Government have any scheme by which machinery through-out the country can be run to its economic capacity. I appreciate that the noble Lord is in rather a difficulty over this subject, but I hope that something will be done in the direction I have indicated.

LORD SHEPHERD:

I can only promise to report to the Minister concerned the remarks made by my noble friend opposite. Then, at an appropriate time, I think we can arrange through the usual channels for an opportunity to be given the noble Lord to put down a further Question to which we hope to be able to reply.