§ MR. HUDSON (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the firm of Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company, Elswick, have recently engaged inexperienced men on the work of electrical wiremen on H.M.S. "Invincible," at rates of wages not in harmony with the Fair Wage Clause; and what, steps he proposes to take in the matter.
I beg also to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now say why Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company, Elswick, have not carried out the Fair Wage Clause in their contract on H.M.S. "Invincible" at the Elswick works with regard to the wages paid to the electrical wire workers.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.If the hon. Member will permit me, I will answer these Questions together. The Admiralty have been, and are still, in correspon- 342 dence with both the firm of Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company, and the Electrical Trades Union, with regard to the statement that there has been a departure from the provisions of the Fair Wages Clause; but the facts have not yet been sufficiently clearly ascertained to enable us to decide what steps are necessary. The required information is being hastened as much as possible.
§ MR. HUDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this Question was first put down on 5th March, and repeated on 19th May, and yet the information is not forthcoming? Has he been in communication with the Electrical Trades Union?
§ MR. McKENNAYes, there have been communications with that body and there has been considerable correspondence, but, of course, the Admiralty cannot obtain information so readily from private firms as from their own dockyards.