§ Sir R. Rankinasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, on Tuesday, 27th July, members of Jarrow Town Council claimed that they had received further evidence that labour could be made available for the reopening of Jarrow shipyard; and whether he will consult the executives of the shipyards 2314W trades unions with a view, relaxing some of their demarcation rules, whereby a proportion of the work at present classed as skilled could be turned over to unskilled or less skilled workers, possibly women, thereby releasing skilled men to enable the shipyard to be reopened?
§ Captain PilkingtonThe answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir"; as to the second part, the possibilities of securing increased production by various dilution measures are constantly under review with the employers and the trade unions, but as regards the possibility of reopening the Jarrow yard I can add nothing to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Consett (Mr. David Adams) on 27th July.