§ 29. Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked if steps are being taken to organise works in Ireland for the production of munitions of war?
§ Mr. TENNANTEvery possible source of supply will be organised as and when required.
§ 93. Mr. DAVID MASONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the city of Coventry, which is interested in the manufacture of munitions of war, the loss of time per man per week in peace time compared with war time shows little difference; and, seeing that the figures furnished by a leading ordnance factory, being for May, 1914, the average hours per week per man of overtime being 3½ hours, and the average hours lost being 4¼, whereas in March, 1915, the average hours per week per man of overtime were 12 hours, and the average hours lost were 4,92, whether he will consider the advisability of making further inquiry before proposing any legislation on these matters?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)My attention has been called to the facts stated in 164 the question, though I cannot agree with my hon. Friend in regarding as not serious an average increase of nearly three-quarters of an hour in the amount of lost time per week per man compared with peace conditions. I can assure him that the Government are taking these and all other relevant facts into the most careful consideration.
§ Mr. SAMUEL ROBERTSHas the right hon. Gentleman received any information about the conditions being good?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI cannot accept the conditions as being good when the men have worked less by three-quarters of an hour per day than they did during peace time.