§ MR. H. D. GREENE (Shrewsbury)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works—(1) whether any painting and smith's work, or any other work required to be done at Her Majesty's Prison at Shrewsbury, has been let by contract; (2) whether the workmen, or any of them employed there during the last four months have been paid wages below the rate of wages usually paid for such work in the locality, or below the wages generally accepted as current in the trade for competent workmen; and (3) whether Her Majesty's Government will cause existing contracts to be modified, and provision inserted in future contracts so as to secure observance of the Resolu- 460 tion of this House on the 13th February 1891.
§ MR. ASQUITHThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative. Existing contracts contain the following clause:—
No portion of this contract shall be transferred without the written permission of the Commissioners. Sub-letting other than that which may be customary in the trades concerned is prohibited. The wages paid in the execution of this contract shall be those generally accepted as current in each trade for competent workmen in the district where the work is carried out.