§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the Minister of Munitions whether Messrs. Vickers, Limited, as managers of a projectile factory, handed several hundred of their women employés notice of discharge on Friday, 13th April, two days after their return from their Easter holidays; whether he is aware that discharges given under these circumstances entail considerable hardship upon the women, as many of them have little or no money to take them to their own homes; whether he will give instructions that the women so discharged will be provided with free railway passes to their homes; and what is the reason of these discharges?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe facts as to the discharge of these women are substantially as stated. Before the holidays, however, the management states that they made it known to the employés that it would be necessary to discharge a number 1871W of women immediately after the holidays, and that those wishing to obtain their clearances would be allowed to have them on application. Seventy women asked for and obtained their release before the holidays. In all eases the women were given a full week's notice, but 75 per cent, of those who received notices asked, before the week was out, to be allowed to go without working out their time, as they had got other employment. I am informed that the reason for delaying the discharges until after the holidays was that it was not possible to forecast the number of discharges that would be necessary. The women who have been discharged will receive the amount of their fares to enable them to return home. I am informed that in individual cases where hardship had arisen, the notices were withdrawn. I have given instructions to the Ministry's officers to take immediate steps to deal with any outstanding cases.