HC Deb 10 March 1908 vol 185 cc1295-6
MR. RAMSAY MACDONALD (Leicester)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the wages paid by a firm of clothing contractors upon Government work, showing that the men's coats were being made and finished at the rate of 1s. 5½d. each; whether such a firm comes within the scope of the Fair Wages Clause; and whether he proposes to take any action.

MR. HALDANE

As far as I have been able to ascertain, the rate of wages quoted by the hon. Member are somewhat below those actually paid by the contractor referred to. The case clearly does come within the scope of the Fair Wages Clause, but the difference in the methods by which work is carried on in this particular trade makes it extremely difficult to compare rates paid by one firm with those of another and thus ascertain what the current rates really are, and I am not prepared to say that this contractor is actually infringing the Clause. As the hon. Member is aware, a Committee is now sitting to consider whether improvements cannot be made in the administration of the Fair Wages Clause. An inspector is now engaged in investigating the conditions under which the Army clothing contracts are being carried out, and no conclusion can be arrived at until he has completed his inquiry, and I have called for a special report, as soon as this is done, on the case.

MR. CURRAN (Durham, Jarrow)

asked whether it was not possible for the Government to establish factories for the purpose of the manufacture of clothes for the civil, military, and naval servants under direct Government supervision, instead of letting the work out to sweating contractors.

MR. HALDANE

It is possible, but everything the Government does is so costly. It could only be done by an enormous increase of the Army Estimates.

MR. CURRAN

Is it not the case that sweating contractors make handsome profits by robbing the workmen? Can not that profit be employed in establishing factories?

MR. HALDANE

We are doing everything we can to prevent sweaters from being engaged in making Army clothes. In some cases we fail.