§ SIR W. EVANS GORDON (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, whether, in reference to the Comptroller General's recent Report on the Ordnance Factories, he is aware that discontent exists in the Royal Arsenal in regard to price-fixing for piece-work; whether married mechanics are taking, or have taken, as little as 14s. per week of forty-eight hours; and whether in some cases rate-fixers have doubled the prices originally put upon the job.
§ MR. HALDANEIt is not thought that any general discontent exists in regard to price-fixing for piece work in the Ordance Factories. There have no doubt been individual cases where men have complained that the prices fixed have been too narrow to allow of their securing their usual earnings, and where this is proved to be the case, correction, which may have been very material in some cases, has been made in favour of the workman. It is, however, now the practice not to reduce a rate when once fixed, and if it proves to be on the high side the workman gets the benefit. But when in certain cases, apart from sickness or short time, the rate has been found too low it has been altered with retrospective effect. In some cases rates have been as much as doubled. This was not, however, due to mistakes in fixing the original rates, but because certain
†Discharges by purchase suspended during South African War from October 1899 to May 1902.1794 exigencies in the shops had compelled the adoption of more laborious methods in certain instances.
§ MR. BARNES (Glasgow, Blackfriars)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that there are many men in the Royal Arsenal who, although attending the Arsenal each day, are frequently kept hours without work being given them; whether he is aware that, even when work is given, the weekly earnings are on the average much below time wages; and whether he can guarantee that men who are kept on the books shall have at least guaranteed to them their wages at day rates.
§ MR. HALDANEMany men suspended on account of slackness of work attend at the Arsenal each day to ascertain if work can be found for them. If preferred the men can be discharged, but while suspended they cannot be paid at day rates nor can any guarantee of work be given, though every endeavour will be made to find work for such men as are kept on the books.
§ MR. CROOKSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that to-night a great number of men will be turned out of the Arsenal until Monday week without pay?
§ [No Answer was returned.]