HC Deb 27 July 1925 vol 187 cc17-8
25. Mr. MACKINDER

(for Mr. T. WILLIAMS) asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that six agricultural labourers who were employed by a farmer at Temple Bruer, near Lincoln, have been dismissed and ordered to leave their cottages because one or more of them refused to accept a wage less than that settled by the county wages committee; that the farmer intends to fill their places by Irish labourers who come over ostensibly to work at sugar-beet factories; and will he state what steps he intends to take to prevent sugar-beet corporations and farmers from obtaining surplus Irish labour as a means of escaping their obligations under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924?

Mr. WOOD

The case has been fully investigated and, according to my information, is not accurately represented by the statements in the question.. There seems to have been a great deal of misunderstanding, but there is no evidence of anything in the nature of victimisation. With regard to the last part of the question, I would point out that, even if there were no local labour available and a farmer was, in consequence, obliged to employ labour from other sources, such action in no way enables him to evade his obligations under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act to pay all workers employed in agriculture at not less than the minimum rates fixed under the Act.

Mr. MAXTON

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that, in the working of the Sugar-Beet Subsidy Act they have to import both labour and capital?

Captain CROOKSHANK

Is it not a fact that one of the inspectors at the present time is investigating allegations of the kind referred to in North Lincolnshire?

Mr. WOOD

That is true. The investigation is actually going on. As to the question of my hon. Friend opposite, he is quite wrong in drawing any deduction that is unsupported by my answer.

Sir W. DAVISON

Has British labour preference in the sugar-beet factories, having regard to the fact that the British taxpayer pays for the subsidy in connection with them?

Mr. WOOD

The hon. Gentleman may rest assured that, as far as it lies within me, preference will always be given to British labour.

Mr. MACKINDER

Is it not a fact that Irish labourers are being imported in order to do this work?

Mr. WOOD

There was one case of Irish labour being employed in Suffolk, with regard to which Questions were addressed to me in this House.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Is it not a fact that in the working of this Act one recommendation of the Committee was that the labour should not be British?

Sir VICTOR WARRENDER

Is it not a fact that Irish labourers are employed for the simple reason that no other labour is available?

Mr. WOOD

I believe there are two Irish labourers who are employed, but my information is that they did not come to the farm from Ireland.

Mr. HARRIS

Is not Ireland part of the British Empire; and ought these labourers to be regarded as foreigners?

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