HC Deb 09 December 1908 vol 198 cc453-4
MR. JOHN WARD (Stoke-on-Trent)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to Clause 2 of the wages and working conditions agreed to by representatives of the contractors and the navvies and labourers in the Portsmouth district, which states that the wages shall be 6d. per hour; whether Messrs. Morrison and Mason, the contractors for the new lock, are paying 5d. per hour to their navvies and labourers; and whether this breach of the Fair Wages Clause of the contract, signed by the contractors with the Admiralty Board, has been sanctioned by his Department.

MR. MCKENNA

I must refer my hon. friend to a long reply I gave to a similar Question on this subject from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton on 30th November. According to the information I have received, Messrs. Morrison and Mason are paying 6d. an hour to a number of their navvies and labourers. Those who are receiving less than this wage appear to be paid at the same rate as is paid by other employers in the district for similar work. The working conditions referred to have been fully considered by the Admiralty.

MR. JOHN WARD

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor decided that when the regulation wage was 5½d. per hour, contractors for dock construction should pay that sum as a minimum? And now that rates have increased, is a fair wage paid when the amount is reduced?

MR. MCKENNA

The investigations made by the Admiralty show that labourers who can properly be described as navvies are paid 6d. per hour, but there is another class of labour receiving loss, and such labour is paid at the same rate by all other large employers in Portsmouth.

MR. JOHN WARD

Has not the right hon. Gentleman received an official letter from the Contractors' Association in the locality protesting against the decision of his Department in allowing this firm to pay less than the proper rate of wages?

MR. MCKENNA

I must ask for notice. Such a letter has not come under my personal observation.

MR. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth)

How many men are getting 6d. per hour?

MR. MCKENNA

I should like notice of that Question also.