§ Mr. JESSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that thousands of workers in the rubber industry in this country have been discharged and others put on short time owing to the falling off in the demand for British motor tyres and other rubber goods; that both the men's representatives and the employers are being held responsible for the unemployment and short time, on the ground that they have advocated the need for increased production; and if he will have this matter carefully inquired into with a view to the prevention of further unemployment in the rubber trade and to prevent the need for increased production being further discredited by the workers in this and other industries?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am aware that recently conditions in the rubber tyre trade have been such as to cause a certain reduction of employment and short time, and in this connection I have received a deputation from the British Rubber Tyre Manufacturers' Association and the employés in. the trade. The representations made by the deputation are now receiving my careful consideration. The suggestion that the difficulties at present experienced by the trade are due to increased production was also referred to, but it was not represented that there was any real ground for this view, and it is in fact unfounded.