§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKE (by Private Notice)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Order issued on Saturday by the Ministry of Munitions granting a 12⅛ per cent. increase in wages to skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers employed on munitions work in ship-building and ship-repairing includes workers similarly employed in His Majesty's dockyards, and, assuming that to be the case, can he assure the House that the interests of the men employed in His Majesty's dockyards will be given due representation on any Central Committee that may be set up for the purpose of considering the question of eligibility?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty have decided to extend the 12⅛ per cent. bonus granted by the Minister of Munitions to all adult male plain time-workers, skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled, engaged in the Royal dockyards and naval establishments on munitions work. The award will not apply to pieceworkers. The establishments concerned have been notified to this effect.
The bonus will take effect from the beginning of the first full pay period following the 12th of October.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill my right hon. Friend answer the latter part of my question as to whether the interests of the men employed in the yards will be given due representation on any Central Committee to be set up to consider eligibility?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI did not answer that point, because I did not quite understand what he means. Perhaps he will put it down again and consult with me.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that a Committee has been set up to consider eligibility?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThis is an award of the Ministry of Munitions, and we are applying it. I do not know whether or not the hon. and gallant Member is referring to the Committee on Production.
§ Sir CHARLES HENRYWas the form of agreement submitted to the Treasury?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot say on this point, because it is a special award by the Minister of Munitions. It was afterwards dismissed and finally decided by the War Cabinet. I do not think we went to the Treasury on this, but with other awards, notably the Committee on Production, we did go to the Treasury.
§ Sir C. HENRYDid the War Cabinet sanction this increase?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have already stated that it is a bonus granted by the Minister of Munitions to all adult male plain time workers, skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled, engaged on munitions work.
Colonel F. HALLHave any estimates been prepared of what this is going to cost, and does the right hon. Gentleman think that there will be any increase in the output by making this arrangement apply to time workers only?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWe know what it will cost in the dockyards. I do not know what the original award will cost, and that is not a question for me.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI would refer the hon. Member to my answer.