§ 51. Mr. T. Smithasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that while the Shropshire Agricultural Wages 1378 Committee have agreed to the 48s. per week minimum for male adult workers, they have increased the cost of board-lodging by 4s. per week and laid it down that, on application, labourers' cottage rents can be increased by 100 per cent.; and what action he proposes to take to prevent these encroachments on the national minimum wage?
§ Mr. R. S. HudsonI understand that the Shropshire Committee proposes that the value of the provision of board and lodging for a seven-day week in the case of men be increased from 16s. to £1 and to make provision that the general value of 3s. at which a cottage has hitherto been reckoned in part payment of minimum wages may be increased on application, in individual cases up to 6s. per week, less any rates which may be payable. Before the committee's proposals can be made effective a period of seven days is allowed during which any objections may be lodged for the committee's consideration.
The question of cottages was raised at the discussions I had with representatives of agricultural landowners, farmers and farm workers. I stated that I had no doubt that the question of cottage values would arise in connection with the consideration by the committees of the proposed increase in the minimum rates, and that in my view and that of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour a reasonable arrangement would be for the committees to fix a suitable low general allowance and to make provision in their orders to enable employers to make application for the allowance to be increased up to a maximum of 12½ per cent. of the minimum wage in cases where it could be shown that the standard of the cottage justified an increase.
§ Mr. SmithIn view of the need for more workers on the land will the right hon. Gentleman take great care that this 48s. minimum wage is not filched away by increases in other directions? Is he also aware that in Shropshire this particular agreement is causing grave dissatisfaction among landowners?
§ Mr. HudsonIn the opinion of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and myself one of the advantages, and one of the most important advantages, to be drawn from increasing the wage to 48s., is the prospect of enabling housing in 1379 rural areas to be improved. Obviously, it cannot be improved if you are to keep the rents at 3s.
§ Mr. SmithIs the Minister aware that the 48s. a week minimum is not much more than the increase in the cost of living upon wages that were in operation when the war broke out?
§ Mr. HudsonI cannot accept that.