§ 70. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now inform the House of the result of the negotiation with the railway companies whose passenger steamers ply on the River Clyde in respect of the hours of labour worked by engineers and stokers upon these steamers; if he can say how many unemployed engineers could be absorbed into employment if the railway companies observed a 48-hours working week; and if he is aware of the urgency of this question, in view of the holiday season being already well advanced?
Mr. ALEXANDERI am sorry I am not yet able to give the hon. Member the information for which he asks, and I would suggest that he should repeat his question at a later date. There will be no avoidable delay in dealing with this matter, but, as I informed the hon. Member on 19th June, as there is no question of inefficiency or unseaworthiness, the Board of Trade can only ask the companies to consider whether some arrangement can be made which would obviate 592 any just cause of complaint on the score of long hours. I am not able to state how many more engineers would be employed if a 48-hour week were introduced, as this would depend on the number of boats running.
§ 72. Mr. T. JOHNSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that during the week ending 21st June the captain and crew of the p.s. "Talisman," a Clyde steamer owned by the London and North. Eastern Railway Company, were engaged for 86 hours 10 minutes; that the captain and crew of the p.s. "Lucy Ashton," owned by the same railway company, were engaged for 79 hours and 20 minutes: whether these vessels operate under the Maritime Act or the Railway Regulations; and, in view of the unemployment on the Clyde among engineers and seamen, he can say what steps it is proposed to take to end these excessive working hours?
Mr. ALEXANDERFrom such inquiries as it has been possible to make in the time, it appears that the hours given in the question are not overstated. I understand that the decisions of the National Maritime Board would apply to these vessels. The Board of Trade are asking the railway companies to inquire into the matter and see whether some arrangement can be made which would remove any justifiable cause of complaint.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONCan the Board of Trade exercise, through the Postmaster-General, pressure on these companies, who are now receiving a subsidy to carry His Majesty's mails upon these boats on which the men are working for 90 hours a week?
§ Mr. BECKERHave the crews of these boats objected to these long hours?
Mr. ALEXANDERIt is true that these boats carry some mails, but the amount of money involved in the carriage of the mails is very small indeed, and I do not think that that could be used as a lever against the companies on this question. In answer to the second question, I have been looking into some of the cases and I do know that some of the men feel aggrieved at their position.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWill the hon. Gentleman use all the influence that he has, and all the influence of the Labour 593 Government, to bring pressure to bear on these companies, as there is no doubt that they have influence if they will exercise it. If this was a case of—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"]—but because it is engineers on the Clyde, this is the kind of answer we get, and that does not satisfy us.