§ 39. Mr. Hicksasked the Home Secretary whether he has been able to obtain any information regarding the rates of pay and working conditions of the German building operatives who are now employed at the German Embassy and for whom permits were granted by his Department?
§ Mr. LloydI have looked into this matter, but I find that no information is available regarding the rates of pay or working conditions of the workmen in question. In ordinary cases when a permit is granted to a prospective employer to engage a foreign employé the Ministry of Labour satisfy themselves before granting such a permit that the rate of wages will not be below the recognised level in this country. But the application from the German Embassy for permission to employ German workmen on the Embassy itself stood on a quite special footing, and it did not appear that the terms on which such workmen were to be employed would have any bearing on the question whether permission should be given them to enter this country for this special purpose.
§ Mr. HicksDo we understand that the wages and conditions are so vile that they are ashamed to reveal them—that the conditions under which they are employed are so much below British standards that we are unable to get the information?
§ Mr. KellyDid the alteration to the building receive the approval of the County Council under the Town Planning and other Acts?
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes diplomatic privilege extend to unfair conditions?