§ MR. W. T. WILSON (Lancashire, Westhoughton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware of the fact that shipjoiners working in the Royal dockyards are on the average paid 33s. 6d. per week, whilst in private shipyards for doing the same class of work they are paid at the rate of 38s. 6d. per week; and whether he can see his way to grant such an increase of wages to them as will bring their wages nearer to the standard rate of wages paid in private yards.
§ *MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe Admiralty are of opinion that the rates now paid to joiners represent the wages which would be paid for the same class of labour by a good employer in the several districts in which the yards are situated. If the hon. Member will refer to the Standard Time Rates of Wages issued by the Board of Trade (Cd. 3245) he will see that the rate paid in the Royal dock- 118 yards (8⅜d. per hour) compares favourably with the rates in force in the private trade. The difference in the total weekly earnings is due to the fact that the Dockyard week is 48 hours, while in the private trade it is 53 or 54 hours.