§ 31. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken by the Government of British Guiana to make available land suitable for occupation by peasant families now employed on sugar estates; what demands have been made for such provision; and with what result.
Mr. Creech JonesPeasant families employed on sugar estates are partly resident and partly non-resident. Resident families are ordinarily provided with allotments on estates. The majority of non-resident families own, or rent, land for food cultivation. The British Guiana Government have established a Land Settlement Committee to deal with peasant settlement, including that of workers on sugar estates, and have acquired a plantation for 150 families. The Government are alive to the need of land settlement schemes and for acquiring further land and a Development Sub-committee is studying the financing of such acquisition.
§ Mr. RankinWould my right hon. Friend answer the second part of the 1950 Question by saying what demands have been made for such provision?
Mr. Creech JonesCertainly there is a demand for land and the Government are doing all they possibly can to meet it, although obviously there are certain financial limits beyond which they cannot go.
§ 32. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that many workers employed on sugar plantations in British Guiana are working only three days per week; if he will state the average wage earned by workers in this industry; and if this is, as a rule, supplemented by the production of food for the workers' own consumption.
Mr. Creech JonesAs the answer is rather long and contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The answer to the final part of the Question is in the affirmative.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The average number of days worked per week varies from 3½ to 5½ according to the category of worker.
§ The average daily wage, inclusive of war bonus, also varies as follows:
| Field Workers. | Dollars |
| Resident pieceworkers (Male) | 1.50 cents |
| Resident pieceworkers (Female) | 80 dollars |
| Non-resident pieceworkers (Male) | 1.66 cents |
| Non-resident pieceworkers (Female) | 89 |
| Resident and non-resident time workers (Male) | 77 |
| Resident and non-resident time workers (Female) | 48 |
| young persons (Male) | 50 |
| Young persons (Female) | 43 |
| Factory Workers. | dollars |
| Skilled workers and tradesmen | 1.36 cents |
| Other male workers | 96 |
| Apprentices and improvers | 56 |
| [The British Guiana dollar is equivalent to 4s 2d.] |
§ 33. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give details of the annual amount of sugar produced for export in British Guiana during the last 10 years; and if he is satisfied that the prices paid for British Guiana sugar provide a sufficient return to the industry to enable the workers to be provided with an adequate standard of living.
Mr. Creech JonesI will circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. AS regards the latter part of the Question, the price paid by the Ministry of Food for Colonial sugar is adjusted annually to take account, among other factors, of variations in the cost of production, including wages, and I am satisfied that the present price permits the payment of reasonable wages in British Guiana.
§ Mr. RankinWould my right hon. Friend say if he means that a reasonable wage is a satisfactory one?
Mr. Creech JonesIn all the Colonies, including British Guiana, we are anxious that wage regulation machinery shall be brought into operation and that a fair standard of remuneration shall be established.
§ Following are the figures.
| Year. | Quantity. | ||
| Long Tons. | |||
| 1937 | … | … | 181,569 |
| 1938 | … | … | 183,478 |
| 1939 | … | … | 179,103 |
| 1940 | … | … | 142,707 |
| 1941 | … | … | 154,361 |
| 1942 | … | … | 134,530 |
| 1943 | … | … | 131,187 |
| 1944 | … | … | 177,995 |
| 1945 | … | … | 132,595 |
| 1946 (estimated) | … | … | 155,000 |