§ 28. Mr. MONTAGUEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether instructions relative to the remuneration of naval personnel employed on or standing by for industrial work in connection with a strike of a general nature, or of strikes of a local nature, or industrial emergency due to threatened strikes, have been promulgated for guidance; will he state the nature of these instructions; and whether arrangements are made in such cases for repayment by the firms or undertakings concerned in such service rendered?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe answers to the first and third parts of the question are 1266 in the affirmative. The Order consists of details as to the allowances which may be granted under various conditions and the manner in which accounts are to be rendered.
§ Mr. MONTAGUEMay I ask whether we are to understand that it is considered a national emergency to provide for paying blacklegs for private firms?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo, Sir. That would be a very erroneous view to take. This is an Order which has been in existence since 1919. It has been slightly revised since to meet the conditions in foreign ports, so to enable His Majesty's Government to carry out their duty of protecting British life as far as possible, and supplying the necessary food to the people.
§ Mr. MONTAGUEIs it not a fact that that Order, which is dated the third of this month, is to deal with the local strike and national strikes in this country?. Does it not also lay down the conditions under which private firms reimburse the Admiralty for services rendered?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANYes, Sir, certainly, it is part of our duty to look after the necessaries of life for the public if there is a strike.
§ Mr. BATEYWill the Minister lay a copy of the instructions in the Library so that we may see them?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI will think about that, I do not in the least object to the facts that I have stated being known. They were, I thought, a matter of common knowledge.
§ Mr. BATEYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the laying of the Order on the Table of the Library so that we can see it and know exactly what it is?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI cannot promise that. I will consider it.
§ Mr. THURTLEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is now the considered policy of the Government to employ men of the Services for strikebreaking purposes?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe hon. Member is trying very hard to put a false construction upon this. The Government are 1267 only doing what previous Governments have done, which is to enable them, where there is danger to life or danger of the supply of the necessaries of life being cut off, to do what they can to assist the general public.
§ Mr. BATEYDid the Minister not issue this Order for the purpose of manning the pumps at the collieries?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThis arose first in 1919.