HC Deb 16 December 1937 vol 330 cc1314-5
17 Mr. Benjamin Smith

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will explain the delay in confirming the new rates of wages for male and female workers proposed by the Milk Distributive Trade Board (England and Wales) in their notice of proposal of 2nd July?

Mr. E. Brown

When these rates came before me for confirmation at the end of September, there were matters on which I felt it necessary to communicate with the Board. The Board met to deal with these matters on Friday of last week, and their observations are under consideration. The hon. Member may be assured that there has been no avoidable delay.

Mr. Smith

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is now his intention to confirm these rates or not?

Mr. Brown

Perhaps the hon. Member will put a question down immediately after the House resumes.

Mr. Smith

Am I right in saying that six weeks ago the Minister wrote saying that it was his intention to confirm these rates subject to certain conditions, and that the rates have not yet been confirmed?

Mr. Brown

That is because I had to pass the matter on to the Board.

Mr. A. V. Alexander

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in the milk contracts for the current year, higher margins were arranged for because of the expected increase in wages; and how does he propose to deal with them if there is this delay?

Mr. Brown

As speedily as may be.

19. Mr. Day

asked the Minister of Labour the number of inspections made in the London milk trade by the trade board inspectors for the 12 months ended on the last convenient date; in how many cases were breaches of the trade board legislation discovered; and what action has been taken?

Mr. Brown

It is not possible, without undue expenditure of time, to furnish separate figures for London. In the South Eastern area the number of inspections in the 12 months ending 25th September last was 997. The wages of 13,000 workpeople were examined, and, apart from technical breaches of legal requirements in regard to notices and records, the number of workers found to be underpaid as 460. Appropriate action was taken in each of these cases, and arrears of wages amounting to nearly £4,000 were recovered. In four cases it was considered necessary to institute criminal proceedings, and there was one case of civil proceedings.

Mr. Day

Are all these inspectors of the male sex?

Mr. Brown

I could not say without notice.