§ Sir H. CROFTasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state what was the total wage bill in 1924 and the estimated wage bill in export trade for the same year; and the corresponding figures for 1913?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI have been asked to reply. I regret that statistics are not available which would enable trustworthy comparisons to be made of the total2442W wages bill in 1913 and in 1924, either in industry as a whole or in the export trade. An inquiry is now, however, being made by the Ministry of Labour into the earnings of workpeople in the principal industries in 1924, which when completed may enable some estimate to be made.