§ MR. NANNETTII beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the resolution of the Dublin Trades Council protesting against the action of the Irish Lights Board in employing unskilled men to do tradesmen's work at lighthouses and other places under their control; is he aware that such work was heretofore contracted for by painting contractors and other employers of labour; will he state whether the employment of these men to do skilled tradesmen's work is in accordance with the Fair Wages Resolution of this House; and whether he will take steps to secure the withdrawal of the Order issued by the Irish Lights Board.
§ THE PEESIDENT OF THE BOAED OF TRADE (MR. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)I have received a copy of the resolution of the Dublin Trades Council to which the hon. Member refers. As I explained on a former occasion, the Irish Lights Commissioners state that they only intend to employ light-keepers to do small jobs where travelling expenses incurred by sending tradesmen would be out of proportion to the actual value of the work to be done, and I have since been informed by the Commissioners, that it is very unlikely that any painting will be done under the Order. As previously stated, it does not seem to me that the Fair Wages Resolution of this House was intended to apply to an arrangement of this description.