§ 71. Mr. FREDERICK WHYTEasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he can now state the result of his representations to the Joint Committee, Perth general station, of the Caledonian, Highland, and North British Railway Companies on the subject of deduction from wages of arrears under Part II. of the National Insurance Act; and (2) whether the Caledonian Railway Company in the Glasgow district, when the umpire decided that certain classes of their workmen, painters, joiners, plumbers, slaters, and others, were insurable under Part II. of the National Insurance Act, demanded payment of all arrears due since the commencement of the Act; that the men refused to consent; that on appeal to the Board of Trade through the Labour Exchange the men were held to be justified in their refusal; and that the company thereupon withdrew their demand; and whether he will draw the attention of the Perth general station Joint Committee to this decision and ask them to withdraw the notice of which complaint has been made?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Burns)I am not yet in a position to make a definite statement with regard to the matter, but I should mention that no such decision as that referrerd to in the second question has been given by the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. F. WHYTEIs my right hon. Friend taking any further action to have the matter speedily settled?