§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the present scale of 36s. a week paid to shipwrights in His 300W Majesty's dockyards is a violation of the spirit of the Government Fair-Wage Clause; whether he is aware that the rates paid for new and repair work, also the overtime rates in all important shipbuilding centres where similar work is done, are considerably in excess of those paid in His Majesty's dockyards; and whether the Admiralty will grant a uniform rate of pay of 40s. per week for shipwrights employed in His Majesty's dockyards?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is the fact that at the present time the scales of wages paid to shipwrights in the great shipbuilding centres—which have now touched a higher point than has been reached, so far as I am aware, at any previous date—are in advance of those paid in His Majesty's dockyards. But I may remind the Noble Lord that the policy of the Department is to secure to the men employed rates not less favourable than those paid for similar work outside in the locality of the dockyard itself. It is also necessary to remember, in comparing the rates paid in His Majesty's dockyards with those of the great private yards outside, the following facts, namely:—(1) In the dockyards, roughly, one in six of the men employed have a chance of establishment, which involves security of tenure, subject to good conduct, and superannuation—to which, I admit, the men themselves largely contribute; (2) so far as the non-established men are concerned, there is far greater prospect of continuity of employment than in the outside yards; (3) the non-established men are entitled to a gratuity of one week's wage for every year of service, after seven years if stood off on reduction, and after fifteen years if stood off or retired from our service for any reason except misconduct; (4) the men work a 48-hours week; (5) all workmen enjoy the privilege of the four public holidays with pay; (6) there are various extras, such as an allowance of 2s. a week to each man instructing apprentices during the first four years of apprenticeship. These considerations have to be borne in mind in making a comparison between the money payments in His Majesty's dockyards and in the great private yards outside. At the same time I ought to add that the question of the present rate for shipwrights has recently been placed before me in great detail at the annual hearing of petitions at Devonport, Portsmouth, and Chatham and Sheerness, and is now receiving careful consideration.