HC Deb 28 July 1937 vol 326 cc3092-5
70. Mr. McEntee

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether the inquiries into the alleged violation of the fair wages clause by Messrs. F. W. Rigby and Company have been completed; and, if so, with what result?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

The inquiries into the alleged violation have been completed. A letter dealing with the out- standing points is being sent to-day to the National Union of Packing Case Makers and the result will, I hope, be satisfactory to all concerned.

Mr. McEntee

May I ask whether the reply which has been sent will be communicated to the House?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

The hon. Member asked whether the inquiries into the alleged violation of the fair wages clause had been completed. They have been completed, and the result has been that we have sent a letter to the National Union of Packing Case Makers.

Mr. McEntee

Can we know the result?

Later—

Mr. McEntee

The answer given to Question 70 was that the inquiries have been completed, and I am asking what was the result. I have been given a reply that the result has been communicated to the National Union of Packing Case Makers. Can I have an answer as to what the result has been?

Mr. Speaker

I understood the Minister said that a letter had been sent to the National Union of Packing Case Makers.

Mr. McEntee

I want to know whether we can have the result given in the House?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

The question that was asked was whether the inquiries have been completed—

Mr. McEntee

And if so, with what result?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

They have been completed, and the result has been that a letter has been sent to the National Union of Packing Case Makers. The Ministry has been conducting these inquiries and, as a result of the inquiries, it is entitled to communicate with anybody it thinks desirable in this particular case.

Mr. McEntee

I am not questioning that, but I want to have a reply as to what was the result of the inquiries.

Mr. Thorne

Surely, we are entitled to know what was the text of the letter that was sent.

Mr. Attlee

This question has been repeated a great many times. The original question was whether there had been a breach of the regulations with regard to fair wages. The Minister said that inquiries would be made. From time to time, questions have been asked as to what was the result of the inquiries, which were to find out whether or not there had been a breach. The Minister now says there is a result, but he does not give it to the House. He sends it to somebody else.

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

I am not trying to dodge the question. The point is that correspondence is still in progress. We sent a letter to the National Union of Packing Case Makers setting out various results of our consultations on the question both with the employer and with others. At the present moment we have not had a reply to our letter from the National Union of Packing Case Makers. As regards the contents of the letter, I do not think it is necessary at this stage that the exact terms should be made public. [An HON. MEMBER: "Why?"] Because it is a Departmental correspondence at present in progress. However, I may tell the Leader of the Opposition that in point of fact it does appear that one case of retrospective payment is involved.

Mr. Anstruther-Gray

On a point of Order. Is it in order to go back to Question 70 when Question 74 has already been answered?

Mr. Speaker

I do not think there is anything particularly out of order in that, in order to clear up a misunderstanding.

Mr. Attlee

May I ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman to answer the simple question which has been put all the time? Has there or has there not been a violation of the fair wages clause?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

That is not in the question on the Paper to-day. I am called upon only to answer the question which is in front of me to-day, and not questions which may have been put previously. I think I have dealt quite fairly with the hon. Member and with the House in indicating that, in point of fact, it does appear that one case calls for retrospective payment, and in that case that payment has not been made in accordance with the fair wages clause. I should have thought anybody would have understood that when I said that one case of retrospective payment was involved. It must be obvious to anybody that correct payments have not been made during the past period. I hope I have amplified the matter.