§ 83. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has acceded to the request of the Army ordnance employés at the Burscough Army Ordnance Department that their application for an increase in wages arid war bonus should be submitted to the Arbitration Committee for decision; whether he is aware that this Department are paying wages, including war wages, of £1 10s. per week as compared with £2 6s. per week paid by some private firms at Burscough for similar work; and what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. FORSTERThis application has now been dealt with, and a temporary war increase of 5s. per week has been authorised with effect from the 1st December last. I am not aware of the £2 6s. rate to which the hon. Member refers, but, at the present hours of work, unskilled labourers in the War Department employ at Burscough will, as a rule, be earning about this amount per week.