§ 79. Mr. SPOORasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether the minimum rate of wages for agricultural workers in England and Wales has now been fixed at 42s. per week; and whether any evidence has been given that farmers could not afford to pay rates of wages which would bear some relation to the present cost of living.
Sir A. BOSCAWENOver the greater part of England and Wales the minimum rate fixed for agricultural workers of 21 years and over is 42s., but in some districts it is higher. In fixing these rates the Agricultural Wages Board had regard to the cost of living in rural districts.
§ Mr. J. DAVISONDo the Agricultural Board also have regard to the profits being made by farmers?
§ 80. Mr. NEIL MACLEANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he is aware that since the Agricultural Wages Board agreed to the recent advance of wages of 4s. and 5s. 6d. the Government have advanced prices for the farmers from 76s.
403 to 95s. per quarter; and whether, in view of this increase, he will take steps to see that the Wages Board agree to the minimum of 50s asked for by the labourers?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Daventry on the 19th instant. In reply to the last part of the question, the Ministry has no power to influence the decisions of the Wages Board.
§ 81. Mr. MACLEANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he is aware that all the labour representatives on the Essex District Wages Committee voted against the recent 4s. advance as being too small, and that the workers' union in the county has repudiated the minimum of £2 2s. 6d.; whether, in consequence, a serious situation has arisen; and what steps he is prepared to take to raise the status of the agricultural workers from being the worst paid class?
Sir A. BOSCAWENIt is understood that the resolution of the Essex District Committee to accept the 4s. increase was carried against the workers' representatives. The duty of fixing minimum rates of wages for agricultural workers is placed by statute on the Agricultural Wages Board, and it is not the function of the Ministry to interfere in the discharge of that duty.
§ Mr. MACLEANThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question as to whether a serious situation has arisen in Essex and whether the agricultural workers down in this district are practically on strike?
§ Mr. BILLINGAre there not four or five boards and committees dealing with these various agricultural problems with out consultation with each other, and will the right hon. Gentleman not consider the advisability of appointing one comprehensive board to deal both with farmers' and with farm labourers' questions?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI hope that something of that sort will be done as a result of a Bill which is to be brought in. In answer to the hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Maclean), I am not aware that the situation is so serious, and I venture to think it is not.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREArising out of the answer, may I ask when we may expect the Agricultural Bill to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred?