§ 64. Mr. CAPORNasked the Secretary for Mines whether the coal used in the manufacture of the 969,428 tons of iron and steel and manufactures thereof imported into and retained in this country during the year 1933 was produced under wages and hours of labour equal or inferior to those prevailing in this country?
§ Mr. E. BROWNIt is difficult to give exact information on such a complicated subject. In the manufacture of some of 962 the retained imports of iron and steel, coal is used in respect of which the wage rates were not inferior to, nor the authorised hours of work longer than, those ruling in this country. As regards a great deal of it, however, it is probably true to say that the coal used was produced under wage and other conditions less favourable to the workman than those obtaining in Great Britain.
§ Mr. PIKEWill the hon. Gentleman say in which country the wages were not inferior but the hours were longer?
§ Mr. BROWNI require notice of that question. There are certain complications. Some of the iron and steel coming from countries of that kind is not produced from coal mined in that country.