§ 85. Mr. J. Patonasked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of our manpower shortage and the growing disproportion between the numbers of workers engaged in distribution as compared with production, he proposes to take any action.
§ Mr. BelcherThe proportion of workers engaged in distribution, though it has been rising, is still well below prewar, and it would clearly be undesirable that it should rise to the prewar level. The attention of distributors has been drawn to the importance of their ensuring the utmost economy in manpower, and the question of any specific steps which the Government can take will be borne in mind.