§ Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet received deputations from the Federation of British Industries and from the Trades Union Congress General Council, either separately or jointly, for the purpose of considering a reduction of hours in this country to 40 hours per week without any reduction in earnings; if he can state the considered opinions from both delegations; and if he is now in a position to state what instructions are to be given to the Government's delegation to the International Labour Conference at Geneva when the 40-hours-week question comes up for consideration?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI have discussed this matter with deputations from the National Confederation of Employers Organisations and the Trades Union Congress General Council. The views expressed and the facts presented to me in the course of these discussions are too numerous to be reproduced within the limits of an answer to a question. As to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper (Cmd. 4584) issued this week containing the reply of His Majesty's Government to the Questionnaire circulated by the International Labour Office.