§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)To ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that an official of the Board of Trade has stated that the average weekly cash wages of ordinary agricultural labourers employed on certain farms in different parts of England and Wales increased by over 50 per cent. between 1850 and 1900, concurrently with a fall of over 30 per cent. in the price of wheat; and whether he has any official information tending to show what the agricultural wages generally in England and Wales have been during the past fifty years.
(Answered by Mr. Ailwyn Fellowes.) We are aware of the statement to which the hon. Member refers. There are, unfortunately, no official records of the course of agricultural wages during the last half century to which reference can be made. The statement was therefore based upon information relating to particular farms and does not cover a sufficiently large area whereon to found a confident conclusion that it accurately represents the movements of agricultural wages generally.