§ 31. Mr. Pargiterasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the minimum average wages in the Aden Colony and Protectorate, the number and membership of trades unions, and the extent to which the indigenous members of the population are employed in administration and receive training for skilled work.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe estimated minimum average wages in Aden Colony are 350s. a month for clerical workers, 14s. a day for tradesmen, 7 shillings 50 cents. a day for semi-skilled workers and 5 shillings 20 cents. a day for unskilled workers. Wages in the Protectorate vary, but are in general appreciably lower.
There are 24 registered trade unions in Aden Colony claiming a total membership of about 12,000. There is no trade union organisation in the Protectorate.
Of the senior staff in Aden Government Service about 11 per cent. are local officers, though this proportion is progressively increasing, and is expected to 1129 increase further as a result of the work of the Adenisation Commission which it has recently been decided to appoint.
The large majority of permanent junior Government staff is indigenous and includes many skilled workers. Training in skilled work is available at the Aden Government Technical College.
§ Mr. PargiterHaving regard to the urgency of events, is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that we are proceeding fast enough in the encouragement of the indigenous workers and so on to better standards, because the obvious alternative will be for our introduction there of some form of self-government at an early date?
§ Mr. ProfumoI think so, Sir.
§ Mr. OsborneWould not my hon. Friend agree that these extremely low wages, down to 5s. a day, suggest that if the workers of the world were to unite the British workers would lose the golden chains of privilege?