HC Deb 27 January 1931 vol 247 c778
24. Mr. ALBERY

asked the President of the Board of Trade if it is still the intention of the Government to rely solely on international negotiations to prevent the dumping in this country of goods made by sweated labour?

Mr. W. GRAHAM

I fear I can add nothing to previous answers on this subject.

Mr. ALBERY

Is it not a fact that there is no international agreement in regard to the meaning of sweated labour?

Mr. GRAHAM

It would be idle to deny that progress by international agreement is very slow, but the alternative suggestion by hon. Members opposite, which is either a tariff or prohibition would, in my view, aggravate the disease.

Commander BELLAIRS

Can the right hon. Gentleman point to a single trade that has benefited by the procedure during the 20 months of his office?

Mr. GRAHAM

. Not without notice, but I have no hesitation in saying that certain progress has been made.

Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER

Is not the policy of prohibition, which the President of the Board of Trade has just denounced, the policy which was defended in "Labour and the Nation"?

Mr. GRAHAM

That is not the position. My right hon. Friend has, I think, misread that very valuable document.

Mr. KIRKWOO'D

Is it not the case that there is plenty of sweated labour in Britain at the moment, and that hon. Members opposite are doing all they can to make it worse sweated?