§ Sir R. THOMASasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there is a shortage of juvenile labour in the cotton trade, which may become serious when the industry resumes full-time working; whether any juveniles are now being trained in Government centres for the cotton industry; and how many juveniles, if any, have been placed in cotton factories from these centres and by transference from depressed areas, respectively?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have consulted the Advisory Committees for Juvenile Employment in the cotton districts, and am advised by them that there is at the present time a demand for juvenile workers in certain branches of the cotton industry, and that if normal prosperity should return to the trade there1140W would be probably a considerable demand for such workers. The Committees, however, are mostly of opinion that such demand could be satisfied without importing boys and girls into the district from other parts of the country. Juvenile unemployment centres do not train juveniles for any specified occupations, and no juveniles are therefore being trained for the cotton industry, but a few boys have been transferred from the depressed areas to employment in cotton mills during the last 12 months.