HC Deb 19 May 1949 vol 465 cc34-5W
48. Mr. Amory

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will revise the hiring contracts for agricultural executive committee labour so that time spent in travelling to and from work is charged out on a fairer basis than at present; and whether he has considered the advantages of charging out this time as an overhead expense so that it may be spread evenly among those employing committee labour.

Mr. T. Williams

The principle that agricultural executive committee labour shall not be hired for less than a day is not, in my view, an unfair one, and I do not feel able to modify the standard terms of hiring beyond providing that where circumstances prevent the workers from being on the farm for the full working day, the farmer shall not be charged for short time in excess of one hour. I do not feel that it is justifiable to deal with this matter through the general charge for committee labour.