§ Sir HALLEWELL ROGERSasked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that the Midland Division of the Industrial Training Department at Birmingham has repeatedly applied for rooms either at Clyro House, Broad Street, Birmingham, or at the Employment Exchange, 205, Corporation Street, for the purpose of accommodating the hairdressing class of the Industrial Training Department; that in the case of Clyro House the officer of works has given priority to the claim of the Ministry of Health in spite of strong objections put forward by the Industrial Training Department to the handing over of any part of the premises until their own requirements had been met; that with regard to 205, Corporation Street, several rooms are vacant and have been passed as suitable for the intended training class; that application has been made to the district architect, Office of Works, Birmingham, and to the Office of Works in London for these rooms; and that the director of the Premises Department of the Ministry of Labour has written to say that everything is being done to expedite matters; whether he is aware that nothing definite has happened; and whether, in view of the fact that this class of training will be forced to close down in a month's time if no rooms are 477W then obtainable, he will take immediate steps to set up an inquiry and allocate the necessary accommodation?
§ Sir A. MONDAs regards Clyro House, Birmingham, the facts are that the Ministry of Health were urgently in need of accommodation for the Medical Referee under the new Insurance Medical Service, and three rooms were assigned by my Department for the purpose at a time when the precise requirements of the Ministry of Labour were not known. As regards the vacant rooms in No. 205, Corporation Street, I have ordered immediate action to be taken, and I hope that it will be possible to allocate the accommodation to the training department without delay.