§ Captain W. BENNasked the Minister of Labour whether he can make any statement. concerning the agreement in the building trade; and whether one party can alter wages and hours of labour without giving six months' notice?
§ Mr. BETTERTONAiry right hon. Friend does not think that it is desirable that my statement on this matter should he made at this juncture. As regards the second part of the question, this is a point of interpretation of the agreement upon which it would rot be right for my right hon. Friend to express an opinion.
Year. Number of persons employed Belowground. Number of persons in receipt of compensation in respect of disablement due to Nystagmus. Number of Compensation Cases per 1,000 persons employed Belowground. New cases. Cases continued from New cases. previous Year. Total. 1910 … 834,751 956 662 1,618 1.94 1911 … 849,421 1,374 1,144 2,518 2.96 1912 … 865,119 1,376 1,819 3,195 3.69 1913 … 895,857 2,401 2,149 4,550 5.09 1914 … 835,266 2,774 3,218 5,992 7.17 1915–18 … Particulars for these years are not available. 1919 … 933,992 2,718 3,731 6,449 6.90 1920 … 973,586 2,865 4,163 7,028 7.22 1921 … 908,066 1,913 4,804 6,717 7.40 1922 … Not yet available.