§ MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of persons employed in the Royal Small Arms Factory, Spark-brook, Birmingham, on 1st August, 1892, and on 1st March, 1893, and the number of persons employed in the Enfield Factory on the same dates?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANAugust 1, 1892, was a Bank Holiday, but on the previous working day 2,175 persons were employed at Enfield, and 714 at Sparkbrook. On March 1, 1893, there were 2,205 at Enfield, and 664 at 1438 Sparkbrook. I may remark that several classes of work performed at Enfield, and on which no reduction is required, are not executed at Sparkbrook.
§ MR. A. CHAMBERLAIN (Worcestershire, E.)I beg, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Member for West Birmingham, to ask the Secretary of State for War why the Estimate for wages for the Government Factory at Sparkbrook, Birmingham, has been reduced in greater proportion than the similar Estimate for Enfield?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI regret that it will be necessary to reduce, in all the Government Factories under the War Department, the amount of production. But the hon. Gentleman will see that, if the Bagot Street and Sparkbrook establishments are taken together, the reduction is in very much the same proportion as at Enfield.
§ MR. A. CHAMBERLAINMay I ask if there is any special reason for reducing the Sparkbrook Vote out of proportion with the Enfield Vote?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI have just explained that the reduction is not out of proportion.