MR. T. F. RICHARDSI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Pimlico Army Clothing Stores supply the service dress jacket for 9s. 3d. complete, without badges and titles, and that the inclusive average cost of materials is 6s., Pimlico price for civilian being 5s. 6d.; and will he say whether they are supplying under cost price, or whether they are being made by sweated labour.
§ MR. HALDANEThe statements in the Question as to price are correct. The cost of civilian labour mentioned is that paid for the special making up of individual garments by civil labour, and this cannot be compared, as the hon. Member suggests, with the cost of manufacture in large quantities by ordinary factory processes.
§ [No Answer was returned.]
MR. T. F. RICHARDSI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he 762 is aware that the service dress jackets being made for the County Associations Territorial Force by private contractors are being made for 1s. 5½d., 2s., 2s. 3d., 2s. 6d., 2s. 9d., and 3s. per jacket; and, the Pimlico price being 5s. 6d. for civilian labour, whether he will insist on the inclusion of the Fair Wages Clause in Government contracts issued by the County Associations.
§ MR. HALDANEThe War Office has no knowledge of the rates paid by County Associations for jackets. As I have already explained, the attention of the Associations will be drawn to the Fair Wages Clause.