Letter

              Ministry of Labour and National Service
Montagu House
Whitehall, S.W.1.
A.R. 2443/1940
28th June, 1940.
Dear Walter,
You wrote to me on the 5th June about the employment of Spanish seamen for whom the Trades Union Congress has been providing maintenance, and I promised to look into the two questions which you raised.
As regards those residing in this country I am consulting the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Forestry Commission about the possibility of finding work for them in some form of agricultural or forestry occupation if the men are willing and suitable, and I can only suggest that arrangements should be made for them to register at the Employment Exchanges nearest their places of residence so that the Exchange officials can see from their Police Registration Certificates the conditions under which the men are permitted to remain in the country and endeavour, if these conditions so permit, to place them in some suitable work.
If the men are residing near together it would be preferable to arrange for their registration at one particular Exchange so that the possibility of employing them in groups might be explored. You have already appreciated the difficulties, but you may be assured that the Exchange officials will do all in their power to assist.
/I
Sir Walter Citrine, K.B.E.,
Trades Union Congress, 
Transport House,
Smith Square, S.W.1.