HC Deb 26 April 1956 vol 551 c168W
62. Mr. Awbery

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated shortage of labour reported to him on the south-west region of British Railways; the cause of it; and what steps are being taken to provide the necessary labour to bring it up to its normal complement.

Mr. Iain Macleod

On 4th April there were over a thousand vacancies for railway employment outstanding in the South Western Region of my Ministry. The shortage of labour in this region is considerable. My local officers are giving British Railways every possible help towards meeting their labour requirements, and British Railways have themselves last month launched a nation-wide publicity campaign to recruit staff.