§ Sir T. BRAMSDON(1) asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that men employed in the paint shop in His Majesty's dockyard, Portsmouth, were detailed for caulking work which was to be done; and will he state why application was not made to the local Employment Exchange for qualified tradesmen for this work;
(2) asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that certain caulkers, now registered at the Employment Exchange at Portsmouth, have been deprived of the opportunity of working at their trade when caulking work arose in His Majesty's dockyard because other workmen were taken from other departments, where they were employed as labourers, to do this caulking; and will he investigate the case of these men, some of whom have been unemployed since 1921, and who are anxious to follow their calling?
§ Mr. HODGESI will, with the hon. Member's permission, answer these questions together. Dockyard workmen qualified for caulking work are transferred to other work such as rough painting, instead of being discharged, when it is no longer possible to employ them on caulking. These men are given the opportunity to return to caulking work when more men are required for that work. It is not necessary to obtain additional men from the Employment Exchange whilst the men qualified to perform the required work are already employed in the dockyard.