§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he could supply 1036 Members with a copy of the report of the local works officers at Rosyth which enabled him to come to the conclusion that 5d. per hour was a fair wage for navvies working in the trenches of the new dock; whether he has asked for any further report upon the wages question at Rosyth; and if he still holds that 5d. per hour is a fair wage for the work of a navvy on the Firth of Forth?
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is undesirable to publish copies of departmental reports, which are necessarily confidential. The latest report I have received on the subject is from the Director of Works, who returned yesterday from a visit to Greenock, Loch Long, and Rosyth, and states that after many inquiries as to the rates paid to navvies on large works in that part of Scotland, he finds that 5d. an hour is the ordinary rate.
§ Mr. J. WARDWill the right hon. Gentleman give me the names of the firms to which application was made? I have personally visited several firms and am told that no information has been asked for.
§ Mr. McKENNAI can assure the hon. Member that various firms have been asked these questions.