§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Minister of Munitions whether, in view of the slackness and consequent lack of employment in the linen trade in Belfast where numbers of mill-workers are working on short time and earning insufficient wages, as a result of which and of the increased cost of living a section of the people are threatened with starvation, he will at once establish a Government munition factory in Belfast to utilise this unemployed labour at wages which will ensure a reasonable subsistence to the workers?
Mr. PRIMROSEI regret I am unable to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion at the moment. When new sources of munitions supply have to be discovered, the claims of Ireland are always considered, 517W and the existence of unemployed labour in Belfast is obviously a factor which will have to be taken into account.