§ 28. Mr. WATTasked the Minister of Munitions whether he has now inquired 27 into the statement that Catholic workers at the National Projectile Factory, Cardonald, have compulsory deductions made from their wages for the support of institutions which are exclusively Protestant; and, if so, whether he can state the result of his inquiry?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have now completed my inquiry into the allegations that deductions from the wages of the" Roman Catholic workers employed in the National Projectile Factory, Cardonald, were compulsorily made and were, in part, applied to the support of Protestant institutions. As a result, I am able to state that there is no Foundation for these allegations. Some time ago the workers complained to the management of the practice then existing, under which unauthorised subscription lists Mere circulated in the shops. This practice was abused, and the workers agreed that there should be substituted for it the subscription of a small sum per week by deductions from wages. Of the 5,000 employés, all except one agreed to the proposal. The dissenting employé is still working at the factory, and it is recognised that he has every right not to contribute. The funds realised are vested in a committee elected by the factory employés. The committee consists of eight persons, four of whom are Roman Catholics, although the Roman Catholics form a minority in the factory. The deductions are wholly voluntary, and contribution is in no sense a condition of employment. The arrangement seems to be a satisfactory one, and I do not propose to interfere with it.