§ 11. Mr. MARTINasked the Secretary for Mines whether, as a result of the recent meeting at Geneva, he can make a statement of Government policy with regard to the Convention for the Limitation of Miners' Hours?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to this Convention has not undergone any change since it was announced in this House on 23rd February last year by my predecessor in office, in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson). I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of this answer. At the recent further meeting at Geneva of the representatives of the seven Governments principally concerned, I restated our policy in the same terms. In the course of the discussion which took place, I explained that upon examination of the details of the Convention we had found that it is quite impracticable, under the conditions obtaining in this country, to give effect to the provisions dealing with the hours of continuous shift workers, and with week-end work, as they stand and that the former of these difficulties, at least, would presumably arise in other countries also. I made it clear that Great Britain, while being favourably disposed to the Convention, and supporting the principle of simultaneous ratification, could only ratify it in a form which would enable its provisions to be observed in this country both in the letter and in the spirit. The meeting took note of the two points of practical difficulty, upon which they were unable to state an opinion; and considered that a further possible unofficial meeting of Government representatives could not usefully he contemplated until the International Labour Office had collected information 166 as regards the manner in which the two questions have in practice been settled in the countries concerned.
§ Mr. MARTINCan the hon. Gentleman say whether Great Britain is the only country which at the present time finds difficulty in ratifying the Convention? Has he seen in the German "Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" a statement of the German attitude?
§ Mr. BROWNNo, we are not the only country. I have seen a report of the German declaration made at Geneva, as printed in the German newspaper, and it is in the following terms:
It would be a source of satisfaction to the German Government if, by the simultaneous ratification of the Convention concerning the limitation of hours of work in coal mines, the gaps between the prime costs of the most important coal dealers could be narrowed even partly, and for its own part the Government would be prepared to collaborate to this end. But it can set no hopes on such a course of action so long as its results are liable at any time to be called into question by disturbances in the domain of currency and of international movements of capital and goods. It, therefore, considers that the question of ratification cannot profitably be discussed until these disturbances have been removed.
§ Mr. MARTINrose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis is developing into a Debate.