§ 65. Captain GUNSTONasked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that an agreement was come to between the owners and the workmen's representatives of the East Bristol collieries to submit their differences to arbitration; that in the presence of an official of his Department both sides agreed to abide by the award of the arbitrators; and that since 1st March the collieries have been idle, the men refusing to accept the award; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure the acceptance by both parties of the award of the arbitrators?
§ Mr. SHINWELLWith regard to the first three parts of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. and gallant Member for Hexham (Colonel D. Brown); in regard to the fourth part, I am keeping in touch with the situation, but in present circumstances I do not see any grounds upon which I could properly intervene.
§ Captain GUNSTONIs it not a fact that the hon. Gentleman, in his answer to me yesterday, said that an agreement had been come to by both sides to submit the matter to arbitration, and is it not further a fact that an agreement was come to by both sides to abide by the award of the arbitrators?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe hon. and gallant Member has stated the facts accurately.