HC Deb 03 March 1938 vol 332 cc1261-2
16. Captain Plugge

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered a report on wages, hours, and conditions of shop workers submitted to him from a joint committee of employers' organisations and trades' unions; whether he is satisfied that this report also represents the views of small individual shopkeepers; and, if not, whether he will do his best to obtain them?

Mr. E. Brown

I received the report only a few days ago and, therefore, I am not yet in a position to make any observations upon it. According to my information the employers' organisations concerned are representative of all classes of employers.

Captain Plugge

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman which organisations are considered representative of the views of the "one-assistant" shopkeeper?

Mr. Brown

When I had my first discussion nearly two years ago on this matter there was a very large and representative gathering, and every point of view has been represented on the committee which has been engaged on this subject for 18 months.

Mr. Mabane

Is it not a fact that every organisation representative of the small shopkeepers of the type described in the question was fully represented at that conference?