§ 49. Mr. Heathcoat Amoryasked the Minister of Labour (1) how many men at present in the Polish Resettlement Corps have not yet volunteered for work in any of the undermanned industries; and how long such men are going to be maintained in unemployment;
(2) how many men at present in the Polish Resettlement Corps have volunteered for work in each of the undermanned industries, respectively; and what is stopping their immediate employment.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsFifty-six thousand members of the Polish Resettlement Corps have been resettled. Placing of the remainder continues at the rate of about 1,200 a week. The number of men who have not yet been relegated to civilian employment, repatriated or emigrated is 45,000, including 12,000 officers. The latter constitute a special problem, for the solution of which a number of steps are being taken or are in preparation. The principal factors Which have in practice limited the placing of the men to a rate of about 1,200 a week are the capacity of industries to absorb them, the provision of adequate living accommodation in the area of employment, the necessity to maintain a reasonable degree of administration in the Corps itself as it runs down.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been called to the intervention of the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers with the result 229W that ten Polish carpenters have been dismissed from building work on a site near Portsmouth; and, in view of the Government's call for production, if he will give the reasons for this intervention, and make a statement.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsYes, and I am in communication with the Society on the general question of the employment of Poles possessing the requisite experience and skill in occupations with which the Society are concerned.