§ Squadron-Leader Donnerasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the continued practice of employment exchanges to send girls 100 miles and more from home when vacancies for war work exist close to their homes; and whether, in view of the discontent this practice creates, he will take effective measures to terminate it?
§ Mr. BevinIt is the case that, where necessary, mobile women are required to leave their home districts for vital war work in other parts of the country. I have no desire to transfer women unnecessarily away from their homes, but I have to pay regard to the demands of war production in areas where the local supply of labour is exhausted, and to the question which vacancies it is most important to fill. I could not discontinue this practice without grave harm to war production.