§ Dr. ADDISONasked the hon. Member for St. George' s-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that Messrs. Leslie and Company, who are undertaking painting and other work on a building in Leonard Street, Finsbury, for the work of the Insurance Commissioners, employed painters for from 100 to 115 hours during the weeks ending 12th and 19th October; and whether, seeing that the average working week for painters in London is fifty hours, this employment of painters for such hours is in accordance with the fair conditions of employment required to be afforded by contractors to His Majesty's Government?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNThe building in question has had to be prepared for occupation by the Insurance Commissioners by the 1st of November. In order to accomplish this it was found necessary to employ two shifts of men, who had to work a considerable amount of overtime, but not to the extent indicated. The greatest number of hours worked by any of the painters in the weeks ending 11th and 18th October was 84 for each week. Seventy men in all were employed, and it was not found possible to put on a larger number.