HC Deb 31 May 1938 vol 336 cc1803-4
14. Mr. Kennedy

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of British capital invested in the Indian jute trade and the average wage paid to the Indian jute producers?

Mr. Stanley

So far as I am aware, the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available. As regards the second part, I am unable to add to the information regarding wages in the jute industry given in the annual report on the Administration of the Indian Factories Act in Bengal for the year 1933, pages 58 to 69, to which the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour referred on 12th July, 1937, in his reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Stirling and Clackmannan, Western (Mr. Johnston).

Mr. Shinwell

Would the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to admit that British capital is interested in the jute trade, and that the wages paid to jute workers in India are very low?

Mr. Stanley

I cannot give the facts, but it is common knowledge that some British capital is invested in jute mills, and certainly, according to our standards, wages in the jute industry are very low.