HC Deb 27 January 1891 vol 349 cc1150-1
MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)

I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works when the contract with Messrs. Brass for the supply of workmen to Government Offices expires; and whether on its termination the Government will dispense with the services of middlemen, by engaging and placing under the control of the Government Clerks of Works all workmen employed at the Houses of Parliament, the British Museum, and other Government Offices?

MR. PLUNKET

The contract with Messrs. Brass expires on the 31st of March next. The system of this and similar contracts entered into by the Office of Works has been carefully inquired into in the course of the past year by a Departmental Committee, which has advised that the practice of working through contractors should be continued, but under new regulations in regard to the payment of wages. I do not admit that under the existing contract middlemen are employed in the sense which seems to be suggested by the question of the hon. Member; but, under the new system, the sums paid by the Government for wages will not be subject to any discount or to any other deduction by the contractor. An invitation to tender for the new contract will in a few days be issued, and that will fully set out the conditions to which I have referred.

MR. CREMER

Will the right hon. Gentleman lay on the Table the terms of any contract proposed to be entered into?

MR. PLUNKET

I have already stated that the invitation to tender will convey all the information asked for, and I hope it will be satisfactory. If afterwards the hon. Member wishes to see the form of contract I should be glad to show them to him; or, if it be necessary, there will be no objection to publish them.

MR. CREMER

I do not gather whether there will be any deduction made by the contractor from the wages of the workmen as voted by the House.

MR. PLUNKET

There will be no sort of discount or deduction whatever.

MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)

Is there any objection to lay on the Table n statement of the terms before they are adopted?

MR. PLUNKET

It will be seen as soon as the invitation is issued what the terms of the contract are, and I hope hon. Members will then be satisfied.