MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Irish Lights Board can give a contract without the consent of the Board of Trade; whether he is aware that the Appledore firm employs non-Union men at less than current Union wages; and whether he will take steps to ensure that in all such contracts the Fair Wages Resolution passed by this House is enforced?
§ MR. HARRINGTON (Dublin, Harbour)At the same time, I will ask the right hon. Gentleman whether contracts for the repairs of vessels under the control of the Irish Board of Lights are given away by the Board of Trade or by the Board of Irish Lights; whether the tenders recently submitted included tenders from two Dublin firms, one of which had already satisfactorily discharged contracts for the Irish Lights Board; and whether it was a condition that the tenders should set forth the rate of wages given to the men employed by the different firms; if so, whether the contract was given to a firm that professedly employed men at wages far under the standard rate, and the duty of declaring the contract was discharged by the Irish Lights Board or by the Board of Trade?
§ MR. BRYCEThe consent of the Board of Trade is necessary to the validity of a contract accepted by the Irish Lights Commissioners. I have no official information as to whether the Appledore firm employ non-Union men at less than current Union wages; but Appledore being a small place it is possible that the rate of wages obtaining there may be lower than those in more populous districts; and I have seen a statement to the effect that they are lower than those generally current in the Bristol Channel District. The Irish Lights Commissioners are not a Government Department, and I am advised that the Board of Trade are not under their statutory powers entitled to refuse their consent to a contract made by the Irish Lights Commissioners, on the ground that the Commissioners have not made inquiries regarding the rates of wages paid by a contracting firm. In conveying the sanction of the Board of Trade to 371 the acceptance of the tender, the Board of Trade have urged upon the Commissioners of Irish Lights the propriety of giving effect in future cases to the resolution of the House of Commons of 13th February, 1891. In answer to the question of the hon. Member for the Harbor Division, I have to say that the contracts referred to in the question are entered into by the Irish Lights Commissioners, but the statutory approval of the Board of Trade is necessary to the completion of the contract. I am informed by the Irish Lights Commissioners that among the tenders recently submitted to them there were tenders from two Dublin firms, and I understand that one of these firms has been satisfactorily employed before; but these tenders were very greatly higher than the tender accepted by the Commissioners, subject to the sanction of the Board. The Irish Lights Commissioners did not make it a condition that the tenders should set forth the rate of wages given to the men employed by the different firms, and they inform me that they do not consider it their duty to make any inquiries upon this point. As I have explained to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, the Irish Lights Commissioners are not a Government department.
§ MR. HARRINGTONMay I ask whether, as a matter of fact, in the tenders submitted the rate of wages is not set forth? The right hon. Gentleman says he has no official knowledge of the rate of wages, but will he refer to the tenders themselves? If he will he will see that the rate of wages to be paid is given, and if the difference in the estimates is mainly due to the rate of wages, will the right hon. Gentleman consider himself justified in refusing his sanction to the contract?
§ MR. BRYCESpeaking from memory, I believe the rate of wages is not set out in the contract; but, whether it is or not, the Board of Trade have not the power to refuse their sanction.
§ MR. HARRINGTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Board of Irish Lights defend their action in the matter on the ground that they have no power, and that the acceptance of the contract really rests with the Board of Trade?
§ MR. BRYCEI have no reason to believe that the Commissioners of the Board of Irish Lights have made any such defence. Such conduct in the matter would be entirely in contradiction to the view that they have expressed to me.
MR. FIELDMay I ask whether, in the communication that has been received from the Board of Irish Lights, and which I have forwarded to the right hon. Gentleman, there are any statements which would bear such an interpretation?
§ MR. BRYCEI am not aware that there is any statement in the communication referred to that would suggest that view.