§ Mr. Hutchinsonasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the acute shortage of housing accommodation in the borough of Ilford, he will give instructions that persons engaged in the building trade and now carrying out the repair of war damaged houses in the borough will not be directed away to other forms of service until the repair of damaged properties has been completed.
§ Mr. E. BevinBuilding labour is not transferred to other work if it is engaged on essential first aid repairs to war damaged houses. I am unable to give any undertaking that labour engaged in the extended repairs to damaged property, beyond first aid stage, will not be transferred to urgent Government contracts of higher priority, but every endeavour is made to leave such labour undisturbed until other sources have been exhausted.