§ Mr. SUMMERBELLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the firm of Messrs. J. B. Pearse and Company, contractors for the supply of clothing for His Majesty's Customs and the Board of Trade, who are working their employés from 8 a.m. till 9 p.m. five days in the week, and from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, are paying their employes in accordance with the terms of the fair wage clause for the normal working hours customary in the trade, or whether the wages paid for the total hours worked do not exceed the rate customary in the district for the nominal working hours, and, if so, whether this is an infringement of the fair wage clause; and whether he will make representations to the firm in question with a view to a reduction of the excessive overtime stated?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe contractors assure me that they are paying their employés, most of whom are engaged on piece work, at the rates current in the district. A fixed extra allowance over and above the usual rates is given to those men who work on Sundays, but I do not see how this can be an infringement of the fair wage clause. The contractors state that the overtime of one hour for five days a week is necessary at present, but they expect that the Sunday work will cease shortly.