§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Minister of Labour (1) from what trades will women be discharged if the Restoration of Pre-War Practices Bill becomes law in the form passed for Second Heading;
(2) whether he has any information already available as to how many women were employed at the time of the Armistice, or near date, whose employment would be regarded as contrary to pre-war practices; how many of those women were replacing men; and, if so, whether he will publish the figures?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe Restoration of Pre-War Practices Bill, in its present form, applies to establishments in which munitions work was carried on, establishments in which any departure from practice was made in consequence of the Treasury agreements, and establishments in which the departure was made in pursuance of any other written agreement. Establishments to which the Act applies will be under an obligation to dispense with any "diluted labour," whether male or female, if the employment of such labour was due to War conditions and is contrary to established pre-war practice, unless an agreement modifying this obligation is entered into.
It is impossible to give any reliable figure of the number of women employed at the date of the Armistice who would be affected by this measure, particularly in view of the very large percentage of women who have already left the industries into which they were introduced for War purposes. For the same reason, and because of the varying arrangements which" existed before the War or may subsequently be made in different trades in regard to the employ- 71W ment of women, it is impossible to state the trades in which the employment of women would be affected by the Bill.
§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Minister of Labour whether he is willing to add a provision to the Restoration of Pre-war Practices Bill to the effect that wherever a machine which has been worked during the War is idle by reason of the refusal of men to work the machine the employers shall be free to employ women to work the machine?
§ Sir R. HORNEProvision is already made in the Restoration of Pre-war Practices Bill for agreements being entered into providing for the modification of an obligation under the Act, and I think that if such a situation as the hon. and gallant Member contemplates should arise it should be dealt with by agreement in the trade.