HC Deb 04 March 1937 vol 321 cc516-7
13. Mr. Jagger

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the negotiations for wage-fixing machinery for the distributive trades; has any meeting been arranged between the employers and the representatives of the employés; and, if not, when is such meeting likely to take place?

Mr. E. Brown

A meeting between representatives of employers' and employés' organisations in the retail distributive trades in Scotland for the purpose of considering the formulation of proposals for joint machinery for the regulation of wages and other conditions of employment in these trades has been arranged for 8th April. I have also received a request from a joint conference of the employers' organisations in respect of the trade in England and Wales, with which I have been holding discussions, for a similar joint meeting to be called, and I propose to make arrangements accordingly.

Mr. Jagger

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any indication as to when that will take place?

Mr. Brown

Not at the moment, but quite shortly.

Mr. A. V. Alexander

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the conversations which he initiated have now lasted nine months, and that much time has been taken up?

Mr. Brown

I am also aware, as indeed are the leaders of the union, that very great improvements have taken place in large sections of the trade during that period.