§ MR. FIELDTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that drivers and firemen working His Majesty's mail on the Midland Great Western lines are working twelve hours per day, and that the nine hours of duty is systematic instead of being used in cases of urgency; whether he is aware that ballast drivers, firemen, and guards are working twelve, fourteen, and sometimes sixteen hours per day for five days of the week and then get a day off to make the total number of hours for the week look small; and whether he can state what is the delay in appointing the conciliation boards on the Midland Great Western line.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) As regards hours of duty the Board have received a letter from the company, of which I am forwarding a copy to the hon. Member. The explanations given therein will be carefully examined. Details of a scheme of conciliation boards for this railway have been arranged, and the company state that circulars and nomination papers will be issued to the staff with as little delay as possible.
§ MR. FIELDTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that several railway companies in Ireland have lodging houses or barracks for their drivers, firemen, and guards when booked away from home; whether he can state if these men get proper rest, as the nature of their duties are onerous; whether he 1055 will state what steps are taken to see that these lodging-houses or barracks are in proper sanitary condition; and whether he is aware that these lodging houses or barracks are sometimes situate in the precincts of busy shunting yards, where operations are carried on day and night.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The sanitary condition of the lodging-houses or barracks referred to is not a matter within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade, but if the hon. Member furnishes me with specific instances in which it is affirmed that owing to the situation of the houses the men occupying them are unable to obtain proper rest, I will carefully consider whether representations on the subject can usefully be made to the railway company or companies concerned.