60. Mr. T. WILSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that Messrs. Hepburn, Gale, and Ross, Limited, of Long Lane, Bermondsey, contractors for leather goods, are paying skilled workmen from 7d. to 8d. per hour; that they refuse to pay extra for overtime worked; that they are paying women workers, who are doing the work of skilled men, from 3d. to 4d. per hour; and whether he will communicate with that firm with the object of compelling it to pay its employés a living wage?
§ Mr. FORSTERCertain complaints as to the wages paid by the firm in question have been received and are under investigation. If the hon. Member will be so good as to furnish me with particulars as to the precise nature of the work on which the skilled workmen and the women workers referred to are respectively engaged, I will see that the matters raised by him are included in the inquiry.
§ Sir R. COOPERCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether, in view of the fact that the War Office now fix their own price for a great deal of the leather they require, it would not be just for all the employers to pay the same standard rate of wages?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe arrangement is that where firms are employed by the War Office we insist upon the terms of the Fair-Wages Resolution being properly carried out.
§ Mr. FORSTERWhat I said was that certain complaints as to the wages paid by the firm in question have been received and are under investigation.