Colonel NEWMANasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the conditions that are being imposed at Employment Exchanges acting through juvenile advisory committees on mistresses of households desirous of engaging domestic help through an Employment Exchange; that, at the Brixton Employment Exchange, the employer is required to sign a form which lays down, amongst other things, a minimum wage, time off and holidays, hour of bedtime and kind of bedroom, and to agree to submit to a periodical visit of inspection from the Exchange for what is known as after care; that these advisory committees are actingultra vires; and what immediate action does he propose to take in the matter?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI thought I had made it abundantly clear to my hon. and gallant Friend that the Employment Exchanges are in no way responsible for the advice given by juvenile advisory committees to young persons under 18 seeking situations—with whom, though the fact is not stated in the question, the juvenile advisory committees are alone concerned. I gave my hon. and gallant Friend, on the 4th August last, a copy of an Order which, in the most explicit1254W terms, defined the duties of the Exchanges in this matter. As regards the second part of the question, suggesting the necessity to sign a form as described in the question, the statement is incorrect; the employer offering the vacancy is not now asked to sign any such form. But it is possible that in this case the instructions which I gave in response to my hon. and gallant Friend's representations, and those made by others, last June, July and August have not in fact been clearly understood. I propose, therefore, to go into the matter and will write further to my hon. and gallant Friend.