§ Miss WILKINSONasked the Minister of Labour whether her attention has been called to the inquiry recently carried out in Middlesbrough under the education authority into the conditions of domestic service, which revealed that of 808 full-time day girls investigated it was found that 47 per cent. received from 2s. to 5s. per week and 89 per cent. received under 10s. a week; and whether the refusal of insurance benefit to girls who are unwilling to undertake domestic work applies to cases where wages like these are offered for non-resident work?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI am aware of this inquiry. In the report made to the Middlesbrough Education Committee by the Juvenile Employment Committee the following passage occurs
The available supply of girls for domestic work being large, the wage level for this type of work is low, and in several cases, the level of wages offered by employers for this kind of work has been totally inadequate. The circumstances were reviewed by the Juvenile Employment Committee, and it suggested that 5s. per week was a minimum satisfactory wage for a full-time day girl.The question whether employment is suitable in particular cases is decided, as my hon. Friend knows, by the statutory authorities, and it is therefore out of place for me to comment on the wages from the point of view of unemployment benefit. I may say, however, that the difficulties in filling domestic vacancies arise principally in connection with resident situations, for which there is a constant unfilled demand, offering good conditions in various parts of the country.