§ 24. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture how many county wage committees have fixed wages at less than 35s. per week?
Mr. GUINNESSForty-one of the agricultural wages committees have fixed the minimum wage for ordinary adult male workers at less than 35s. per week, excluding overtime.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSHave the National Wages Board or the Minister of Health caused inquiries to be made why so many counties are deciding upon wages at so small a figure?
| The total area of land returned as being used for agricultural purposes in the undermentioned years in England and Wales, together with the total population in those years and the number of acres per 1,000 of population, was as follows:— | ||||||
| — | Acreage of Crops and Permanent grass. | Acreage of Crops, Permanent grass and rough grazing. | Total Population. | Acres per 1,000 of population. | ||
| Crops and Permanent grass. | Crops, Permanent grass and rough grazing. | |||||
| Acres. | Acres. | No. | Acres. | Acres. | ||
| 1870 | … | 25,957,035 | * | 22,501,000 | 1,154 | — |
| 1880 | … | 27,363,782 | * | 25,714,000 | 1,064 | — |
| 1890 | … | 27,872,335 | * | 28,764,000 | 969 | — |
| 1900 | … | 27,538,130 | 31,050,986 | 32,249,000 | 854 | 963 |
| 1914 | … | 27,114,004 | 30,895,569 | 36,967,000 | 733 | 836 |
| 1924 | … | 25,876,797 | 30,823,135 | 38,746,000 | 668 | 796 |
| * Returns of the acreage of rough grazings were not collected before 1891. | ||||||
| No information is available as to the suitability of the land for agricultural use. |