§ 5. Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELasked the Minister of Labour whether she will state the percentage increase of wages paid to dock labourers in the Port of London Authority area on the latest 1788 available date, as compared with pre-War rates; and will she state where this comparison appears in figures given by the Ministry from time to time to show and compare pre-War and post-War wage levels?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThe particulars for London are not shown separately in any comparison of pre-War and present wages published by the Ministry of Labour, but they are included in the general figures given on pages 87 and 88 of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for March last, as to the relative levels of wages of dock labourers generally in August, 1914, and December, 1930. No information is available which would enable a statement to be made as regards piece-work earnings.
§ Mr. SAMUELIs it possible to include in the figures for a future date some sort of dissection so that we should get the London area compared, say, with Liverpool or Newcastle?
§ Miss BONDFIELDCertainly, we will do that.
§ Mr. JAMES HALLIs it not a fact that the wages paid to dockers in London before the War were so low as to call for universal condemnation?