Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSasked the Minister of Labour whether he can say what was the estimated number of apprentices being trained in the building trade immediately prior to the outbreak of war; what is the estimated accumulated deficiency caused by the War in the number of those trained; and how many are being trained at the present time?
§ Sir R. HORNEI regret that I have no information as to numbers of apprentices which would enable me to give the estimates asked for by the hon. and gallant Member. There is no doubt, however, that there is a marked shortage of apprentices in the building industry at the present moment, and this is recognised in the Report of the Building Resettlement Committee which has recently been adopted by the Joint Industrial Council 2429W for the Building Industry. I may add that the number of apprentices whose training was interrupted by the War and is now being completed under the auspices of my department is approximately 5,500; but there are, no doubt, many other young men who have entered the industry for the first time since the War.