§ 28. Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the President of the Board of Agriculture on what terms and conditions German prisoners are employed in agriculture; whether he is aware that at Mundham, Chichester, English labourers have been denied the opportunity of earning extra money by working the customary piecework, and that English labourers have been sent home whilst German prisoners have been kept on working overtime; whether he is also aware that at Climping, near Littlehampton, a farmer has threatened the women workers that if they asked for increased wages they would not be allowed to work, and that German prisoners would be set on to do their work; and whether he will make inquiry into this question, with a view to allaying the unrest created by the action complained of with as little delay as possible?
§ Sir R. WINFREYThe terms on which prisoners of war are employed on agriculture are that their services shall be paid for at the local rate of wage for similar employment. Applications for prisoner labour must be made through the county agricultural executive committees, who are expected to satisfy themselves that the farmers to whom the men are sent are in need of assistance. The Department have no information as to the cases referred to, but inquiries are being made with a view to any necessary action being taken to prevent prisoners being used to the disadvantage of the farmers' regular employés.