§ MR. H. O. ARNOLD - FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, whether the Resolution with regard to the payment of fair wages in Government contracts is in force in Ireland; whether his attention has been called to the fact that the terms of the Resolution have not been complied with in respect to the contract for painting the Belfast Barracks; and, whether he will state the reason for his departure from the terms of the Resolution, and will give instructions that its terms shall be complied with in the future?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birminghom, S.The fair wage Resolution is everywhere in force throughout the United Kingdom in Government contracts and there has been no departure from it either by myself or by anyone acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. Complaint has been made that the contractor for the Belfast Barracks has disregarded the terms of his contract in respect to some of the, workmen employed, and the matter is under strict investigation. The hon. Member may rest assured that proper notice will be taken of any breach of the 1154 conditions of the contract which the Inquiry may prove to have been committed.
§ MR. C. FENWICK (Northumberland, Wansbeck)asked the hon. Gentleman whether it was a fact that the only occasion on which the fair contract clause was observed by this contractor was when the representative of the Department was present, and that the men who received the contract price at that time were compelled to refund the money under threat of dismissal, and whether he was aware that one of the workmen who refused to refund the money was dismissed?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSsaid, he was not aware of the last statement exactly, but the other statements of the hon. Member were, to a large extent, accurate apparently; but they were matters of inquiry, and he could not, at the present moment, give any definite information in relation to them.