§ Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take -in connection with the scheme before the Fife County Council to ration labour in the local coal industry, with a view to re-absorbing 4,000 unemployed men; what has been the effect of the rationing scheme adopted for the shale mining and oil industry in West Lothian; and will 2616W he, in view of this demand for such schemes, consider the advisability of calling a national conference of employers, with a view to the general adoption of a five-day week of 40 hours without any reduction in wages?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs regards the first part of the question, I understand that certain proposals have been made by the Fife County Council of which, however, I have no details. I understand, however, that the plan is shortly to be discussed between representatives of the council and the Fife Coal Masters' Association. With regard to the second part of the question, a number of workers formerly unemployed have been reabsorbed into part-time employment consequent upon the scheme for sharing the available amount of work in the shale-mining industry. As the hon. Member is aware, there are in various industries many cases in which work is shared by voluntary short time and rotation schemes, with proportinate reduction of earnings. The reduction of the working week to 40 hours without reduction in earnings raises wider considerations than those in work-sharing schemes of the kind referred to in the question, and this subject is under examination by the Government in consultation with the central organisations of employers and employed. A questionnaire for circulation to Governments is being drawn up by the International Labour Office on the basis of proposals adopted by the recent International Labour Conference. In these circumstances, I do not propose to call a conference of employers as suggested by the hon. Member.