§ 3. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will explain why ordinary labourers working in His Majesty's Dockyards are only given a war bonus of 2s. a week, whereas other workers receive a bonus of 3s.; and whether, in view of the fact that the increased cost of living affects skilled and unskilled labourers alike, and that both sections of men are drawn from the same class of the community he can see his way to place the unskilled labourers on the higher scale?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe War Emergency Increases to which the hon. Gentleman refers were granted to Dockyard employés from the 28th March last, in 454 accordance with the award of the Committee on Production, before whom the application for the advance was placed on behalf of the workmen. That Committee, I do not doubt, took all relevant considerations into account in arriving at their decision.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the increase in the cost of food does not fall equally hard on an ordinary labourer as on a skilled labourer?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have already said, I do not doubt when they made their award they took all relevant matters into consideration.