§ SIR C. W. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has succeeded in drafting a clause to deal with sub-contracting; and, if so, whether he will place it upon the Paper in the course of the present Sittings, in order that there may be time for the consideration of it in the country by those interested before the Employers' Liability Bill is brought forward on Report?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; I have not been able, up to the present moment, to devise a satisfactory solution of this difficult problem. If I am able to do so, there will be no delay in putting down the clause.
§ MR. STUART-WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam)Will the right hon. Gentleman do the same in regard to any Amendments which he may have to propose to the new clause standing in the name of the hon. Member for Crewe in reference to insurance?
§ MR. ASQUITHThe Government have no intention of proposing any Amendments to that clause.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has 465 been called to the unanimous Resolution passed by the Trades Congress calling upon him and the Government to stand by the clause of the Bill preventing contracting out of the Act?
§ MR. ASQUITHMy attention has been called to the proceedings at the Trades Union Congress; but the Government never had any intention of making any alteration in the clause as to "contracting out."