§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether portions of the work for the furnishing and upholstering of the four ships building at Barrow-in-Furness for the Government has been sub-let, whether any of the work executed by some of these sub-contractors is of an unsatisfactory character, whether he is aware that the work have been carried out by boys and under-paid labour, and whether he will appoint an inspector to supervise and pass the work before paying for it; and whether subcontracting is allowed by Government Departments in view of the Fair Wages Resolution of the House of Commons.
§ *THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN,) Suffolk, WoodbridgeThe work of furnishing on these ships has not been sub-let. The upholstering work, included in the contract, comprises only a few cushions and curtains, and is sub-let to a local firm who have previously done similar work for His Majesty's ships. The answer to the second and third questions is in the negative. All such work is invariably supervised and passed by Admiralty overseers before it is paid for. Subcontracting is allowed subject to Admiralty approval, and on condition that the responsibility of carrying out the work in a satisfactory manner, and that the wages paid shall be those generally accepted as current in each trade for competent workmen, remains with the principal contractor.