§ 48. Major COLVILLEasked the Prime Minister if he has received from the Association of British Chambers of Commerce a resolution urging that the question of the relationship of the wages paid in sheltered occupations to those paid in competitive industries should be considered by the Economic Advisory Council; and whether he has agreed to adopt this suggestion?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I regret that I cannot, except on very special occasions, announce the subjects up-on which the Economic Advisory Council is asked to express opinions.
§ Major COLVILLEDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that the disparity in wages has definitely increased, and that the competitive trades cannot maintain even their present standard of wages unless they get Safeguarding conditions?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose to ignore the effect on the export trades of the burden that the sheltered occupations impose?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODDoes the right hon. Gentleman understand that the only people with sheltered industries are those who toil not neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these, and they are on the other side of the House?