§ Mr. HUNTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there are some Belgian artisans now in this country who are being employed by people in this country at skilled labour at considerably under trade union wages, and whether the Government, in view of the difficulties of the situation, could lay down some rule as to the employment of Belgian refugees?
Mr. RUNCIMANI have no information which confirms the suggestion made in the first part of the question. The Government have had the matter under careful consideration, and a Departmental Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Ernest Hatch has been appointed by the President of the Local Government Board to make recommendations thereon. In the meantime, any employers desiring Belgian labour should apply to the Labour Exchanges, who, in dealing with such applications, will have full regard to the interests of British labour.