§ 20. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Labour whether it is his intention that men employed on relief work at 75 per cent. trade union rates should not be paid for time they are stood off for no fault of their own, e.g., wet time; and if he is aware that certain local authorities only allow two hours wet time, and then only the first two hours if it is raining at the commencement of the work, and not if it starts raining half an hour or more after starting work?
§ Mr. SHAWAs regard the first part of the question, my hon. and gallant Friend will remember that on 27th February I explained, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for South Hackney (Mr. H. Morrison), that the restriction regarding 75 per cent. of trade union rates no longer applied. Instructions on the point were issued by the Unemployment Grants Committee on the date mentioned. As regards the rest of the question, I understand that it is not the practice of the Unemployment Grants Committee to authorise payments for "wet time" in connection with State-aided relief works.