§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any reports from directors of Labour Exchanges showing that employers are offering places requiring a somewhat higher degree of industrial skill than is possessed by actual applicants; and, if so, whether he can give particulars as to numbers, localities, etc?
Mr. BUXTON:Such reports as have been received do not indicate that any general difficulty is found in filling vacancies for skilled workers notified to Labour Exchanges. The difficulty that has been experienced in filling such situations exists principally in the case of women workers engaged in seasonal trades.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any legislative authority, beyond a Vote in Supply and an item in the Appropriation Act, would be required to enable the Board of Trade to establish or take over farm colonies or industrial training estab- 1436W lishments at which the unemployed young men, for whom no situations can be found, might be suitably trained; and whether he will consider the expediency of promptly setting up such establishments as an adjunct of the Labour Exchanges?
Mr. BUXTON:I am advised that the subject-matter of my hon. Friend's question could not be properly dealt with except by legislation. I may also point out to my hon. Friend that the object of the Labour Exchanges is to put suitable workmen and employers into direct communication. I should, in present circumstances, therefore, deprecate a connection between these exchanges and farm colonies or industrial training establishments, etc., which are designed for a different purpose.