HC Deb 10 July 1913 vol 55 cc595-7
63. Dr. ADDISON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether in giving out stationery contracts the fair house list of the trades unions is consulted; whether he is aware that some firms not included in this list secure large orders; and whether, in future, preference will be given to those firms who are on the list of fair houses and fair in all their departments?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on the 29th May last. The fair lists of the trade unions concerned are constantly consulted at the Stationery Office, but omission from these lists does not necessarily disqualify a firm which satisfies all the requirements of the Fair-Wages Resolution.

64. Dr. ADDISON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in cases where no agreement is in existence between a trade union and the employers of a particular trade and the employers refuse to agree to a uniform scale of prices to regulate piece-work conditions of labour, the contractor for work for His Majesty' s Government is permitted to fix his own scale of prices for his employes; and, if so, what method is adopted by the Controller of the public Department to see that the terms of the Fair-Wage Clause are being observed in order to prevent evasions by the piece-work system of employment; and what methods are adopted by the officials to obtain information on the comparative earnings of piece workers so as to secure that a fair rate of wage is paid to those employed?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to Stationery Office contracts. In cases where there is no agreement in existence between a trade union and the employers, the Stationery Office in dealing with a complaint in regard to piece-work rates ascertains the rate which in practice prevails amongst good employers in the trade in the district where the work is carried out. The Stationery Office also in such cases makes full use of the powers reserved under the conditions of the contract to inspect the wages books and time sheets showing the wages paid and the time worked by the workpeople concerned.

65. Dr. ADDISON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what precautions are taken to distinguish work done in London by journeymen and apprentices from that executed by the cheap labour of women employed by contractors in provincial branches; whether he is aware that some contractors obtain tenders through the London offices, execute them in the provincial establishment, and then send them back to London to have the London label inserted; and whether, in order to prevent this being done, he will instruct His Majesty' s Stationery Office to see that in future every book has a label denoting the address of the firm's works where it was bound?

Mr. MASTERMAN

In tendering for work for His Majesty's Stationery Office, every firm has to state exactly where it is intended to execute each job, and no tender is considered which does not contain this information. In a case where work is not carried out at the place specified on the tender, it is held to be an infringement of the conditions of the contract. The Stationery Office has no knowledge of the system of labelling mentioned.

Mr. W. THORNE

May I ask whether the same principle applies to all the Departments of the Government?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I cannot answer for any Department except that with which I am concerned. I think the Fair-Wages Resolution applies to all.