asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he will consider, as an experiment, sanctioning the employment of labour, subsidised by transi- tional payment or unemployment benefit, on some specific scheme of drainage or reclamation to be carried out by a selected local authority in the public interest;

(2) Whether he will investigate the question of large-scale land drainage of the low-lying districts of East Yorkshire, with special reference to the possibility of allocating unemployment benefit or transitional benefit for the subsidisation of the wages of men engaged in this form of work?

As regards the suggested subsidisation of employment on land drainage schemes, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Health to the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson) on 13th June, of which I am sending him a copy. I am, however, considering whether an experimental training scheme where the course of instruction will include land drainage is practicable, but I cannot undertake that it will be carried out in Yorkshire.