§ Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Minister of Production whether he is aware that in many areas of the country numbers of immobile women workers are available whose services are not now fully employed; why local firms in these areas are net given wider opportunities to engage in war work; and why new industries are not brought into these areas so that surplus labour may be employed and the transfer of women workers to other districts avoided?
§ Mr. Garro JonesThe answer to the first part of the Question is, "Yes, Sir." There are a number of such workers; but the problem of their employment, as my hon. Friend knows, is part of the wider question of the location of industry. To deal with this wider question my right hon. Friend has set up a committee on which the Ministry of Labour and other interested Departments are represented. This committee will regulate the location of new manufacturing capacity and examine proposals for transferring existing production from congested to lightly loaded areas. I should emphasise, however, that labour is only one aspect of the problem and that other factors such as difficulties of transport, power or the provision of premises have to be taken into account.