HC Deb 18 April 1923 vol 162 cc2084-5W
Mr. GRIFFITHS

asked the Minister of Labour under what recommendations of the Lytton Committee citizens of Richmond, who have become notorious for their attacks on the right to employment of his women employés, were invited to attend the recent confidential investigations into the private circumstances of the women concerned, while the latter have been refused the right of having a union representative on the investigation committee, such as is admitted in most other Departments?

Sir M. BARLOW

Representations were made to me by the Richmond Local Employment Committee about the retention of women clerks at Kew, and it was suggested that some of them were no longer "hardship" cases. I decided accordingly to have a further investigation made by the Director of Establishments and a senior woman officer, and I gave an opportunity to members of the Local Employment Committee to attend the investigation though, of course, not to participate in it. No application has been made to me by the women concerned that a representative of their association should take part in the inquiry.