§ 1. Sir Robert Rankinasked the Minister of Labour in respect to the agreement recently made between the Factory Department in his Ministry and representatives of employers and employees relative to the scaling or cleaning of ships' boilers, why no shipowners' representatives were consulted thereon, or asked to be signatories to the agreement.
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Bevin)This agreement was the result of discussions between the Factory Department, various organisations of employers who undertake boiler scaling, cleaning oil fuel tanks and similar work in ships, and organisations of workers who are from time to time employed by such employers on this work. It relates to the safety and welfare of workers when so employed and to the non-employment of young persons. The shipowners are not the employers of these persons, but we did, however, in accordance with our usual practice, send the agreement to shipowners' organisations, with the object of securing their co-operation, which we were satisfied would be forthcoming.