§ 6. Mr. BYRNEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the conditions of employment in the Irish Lights Department and Board of Works at Kingstown; if he is aware that the total wages and bonus to labourers in the 496 Irish Lights Department is 25s. per week; if he will state the wages and bonus paid in England by Trinity House to English or Welsh labourers doing similar work; if he is aware that the wages paid to labourers under the Board of Works is from 20s. to 23s. per week; if he will state the wages paid to Board of Works labourers in England; if he will state whether these men will receive the war bonus of 5s. recently awarded by the Conciliation and Arbitration Board to Civil servants; and, if so, when will it be paid and from what date?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. G. Roberts)I am only able to answer this question so far as it relates to the employés of the Irish Lights Commissioners and the Trinity House. The practice of these authorities is to pay the labourers employed by them the current local rate of wages and war bonus. These men are not, therefore, entitled to participate in war bonus granted to classes of employés whose wages do not vary in accordance with the current local rates.
§ Mr. BYRNEIn order to prevent labour troubles in Ireland, will the hon. Gentleman take immediate steps to level up the wages?
§ Mr. ROBERTSThe wages and conditions of those employés in Ireland come under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade for consideration.