HC Deb 08 April 1936 vol 310 cc2770-2
55 Mr. M. MacMILLAN

asked the Minister of Transport whether, when allocating grants from the Road Fund to Highland counties, he will take action to ensure that workmen are paid a full reasonable living wage instead of 2½d. an hour and less, as they have been paid during the past few years in the Island of Lewis?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Hore-Belisha)

No free labour has been or will be employed on the roads which are being reconstructed in the north of Scotland with the aid of 100 per cent. grants from the Road Fund. In the case of certain other roads in the Island of Lewis I have given grants of 50 per cent. based on estimates in which the labour cost is calculated on the basis of the Fair Wages Resolution. I understand that a voluntary agreement has been made between the county council and the men engaged upon the work; and the question whether free labour, voluntarily offered to secure the early execution of works in a particular locality should be accepted by the highway authority is one for the discretion of the authority.

Mr. MacMILLAN

Can I read that answer as a promise that no free labour will be employed in 100 per cent. grant contracts?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I have answered the question on the Paper. The inhabitants of the Island of Lewis have voluntarily undertaken to do certain work in the provision of roads for their own benefit, in agreement with the county council. I have no locus standi in that matter. I have made a 50 per cent. grant to the county council.

Mr. MacMILLAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these people have to give free labour lest their chances of getting unemployment benefit are damaged and is that not coercion?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I think the hon. Member is under a complete misapprehension. The people of the Island of Lewis applied to the county council for a grant for the making of roads, which the county council was unable to give, or not desirous of giving. The county council applied to me for a grant and, in order to help the population of the Island of Lewis to carry out the scheme, I made a. grant of 50 per cent. The only effect of the hon. Member's agitation would be that Lewis would be without its roads.

Mr. LAWSON

Does not the fact that he has given a grant give him some control over wages, as there is a scale of wages for that purpose?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I have based my grant upon the Fair Wages Clause. I have given a 50 per cent. grant to the responsible highway authority. That authority has entered into an agreement with the population of the Island of Lewis for the benefit of that Island.

Mr. MacMILLAN

Is it not the case that these roads ate under the supervision of the Ministry of Tranport?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

No, Sir, these roads are the responsibility of the county council, and if the hon. Gentleman desires me to intervene, I am quite ready to consider withdrawing the grant altogether, in which case they would not get the roads.