HC Deb 21 May 1924 vol 173 cc2181-2
28. Sir WILLIAM DAVISON

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to cases in which trade unions in the engineering industry have placed limitations on the number of automatic lathes and other automatic machinery which may be operated by individual workmen in the motor and other similar branches of the trade whereby the output of the industry is handicapped as compared with the freedom from restraint possessed by American and other foreign workers in engineering trades; and whether he proposes to take powers to deal with the matter?

Mr. SHAW

My attention has not been drawn to cases of the kind to which the hon. Member refers. As the hon. Member is probably aware, there are agreed arrangements for the discussion of working conditions in the industry by the employers' and workers' organisations, and I see no reason to interfere in the matter.

Sir W. DAVISON

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the facts are as stated in my question—that there is interference with a number of men working with automatic instruments—

Mr. MILLS

Rubbish!

Earl WINTERTON

On a point of Order. When an hon. Member puts a perfectly proper question to a Minister, is he not entitled to ask that question without an hon. Gentleman on the other side calling out the most offensive term "rubbish"?

Mr. MILLS

Is it not to be presumed that an hon. Member of this House asking a question in relation to a particular industry should know the elementary facts about that industry?

Mr. SPEAKER

Hon. Members will please allow me to conduct these proceedings. The interruption was quite irregular, and should not have been made.

Sir W. DAVISON

I disregard the interruption. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the facts stated in the question are not within his knowledge, and does he not think it desirable, in view of the urgency of getting the largest possible output from our factories, that he should take some steps in the matter to stop these restrictions?

Mr. MILLS rose

—

Mr. SPEAKER

That is a repetition of the question on the Paper.

Sir W. DAVISON

On a point of Order. The Minister said there were certain means of dealing with this matter, and my supplementary question was whether he, as Minister of Labour, did not think it desirable that he should take some steps to deal with it.

Mr. MILLS

Deal with it as a sweated industry.

Mr. SPEAKER

I understood the Minister's reply to cover that point.