§ Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that there is wide discontent in Hornchurch at the wholesale discharge of local men from work on the reconstruction of Abbs Cross Lane and their replacement by Irishmen; and whether he can state why he rejected the local council's standard condition that 75 per cent. of local labour should be employed on local works when making a 60 per cent. grant towards the scheme?
§ Captain WallaceI am not aware of any discharge of local men from work on this scheme and their replacement by Irishmen, nor have I rejected the local council's standard condition of employment. On the contrary, I have accepted a modification by which, in addition to the standard contract rule that the contractors shall employ not less than 75 per cent. of local labour through the local Employment Exchange, such local employment is to be confined to persons who have resided in the Hornchurch district not less than six months immediately preceding the date of the contract.
I understand that a number of Irishmen are residents in Hornchurch and are eligible for employment under the contract but I do not know how many of the men employed on the works are Irishmen. The rate of grant for this work is not 60 per cent., but 50 per cent.