§ Captain ELLIOTasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that 90 women bakers have recently been dismissed from their employment in Glasgow; whether he is aware that the master-bakers are perfectly willing that these women should continue at work; whether the general secretary of the Scottish Bakers' Operatives' Union has declared that he personally is not in favour of these women being forbidden to follow their employment; and whether, as the women are suffering grave hardship, having now been some weeks out of work, he will cause an immediate inquiry to be instituted?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am aware of the circumstances attending the dismissal of certain women employed in the baking trade in Glasgow. I understand that the Scottish Bakers' Industrial Council have had the matter under consideration, and that a scheme dealing with the employment of women in this trade will shortly be submitted to the Scottish Master Bakers' Association and to the Executive Committee of the Scottish Bakers' Operatives' Union, after which the Industrial Council will have a further meeting. In these circumstances I do not think an inquiry now would serve any useful purpose.