HC Deb 22 December 1916 vol 88 cc1861-7W
Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the total value of the export of linen and linen yarn from Belfast during the month of November, 1916; and of the same for the same month in 1914 and 1915?

Mr. ROBERTS

The total values of linen and linen yarns of home manufacture exported from the United Kingdom, as registered in the month of November, 1914, 1915, and 1916, respectively, were as follow:—

Nov., 1914. NOV., 1915. Nov., 1916.
£ £ £
Linen Yarn 32,067 64,839 99,640
Linen Manufactures of all kinds 619,383 716,069 742,465
651,450 780,908 842,105

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the average monthly export and value of linen yarns and linen piece goods from Belfast during the years 1914, 1915, and 1916, to the end of November; the number of workers engaged in their manufacture; and the average wages paid to them in each month of this period?

Mr. ROBERTS

The average monthly exports of linen yarns and linen piece goods of home manufacture from the United Kingdom to all destinations in the years 1914 and 1915, and the first eleven months of 1916, respectively, were as follow:

Monthly Average,
Quantity. Value.
Linen yarns exported— Thsnd. lbs. £
1914 1,038 73,786
1915 535 44,640
1916 (11 months) 804 90,189
Linen piece goods exported— Thousand yards. £
1914 14,908 456,704
1915 10,731 411,217
1916 (11 months) 12,221 567,614

Separate particulars are not available with regard to the exports of yarns and piece goods manufactured in the Belfast district. Direct exports abroad from the port of Belfast are relatively trifling.

According to the Census of 1911, there were 29,626 people occupied in linen manufacture at Belfast, of whom 6,253 were males and 23,373 were females. Statistics are not available as to the total number of workpeople engaged in the industry in each month of the period 1913– 1916, but the following table shows the number of workpeople employed by firms reporting to the Board of Trade, together with the average earnings of such workpeople. These earnings include those of men, women, boys, and girls, and any variation in the proportion of each of these classes of workers, owing to the War or other circumstances, would affect the average amounts stated. These amounts are also affected by overtime and short time, and cannot be regarded as rates of wages for a definite number of hours of work:

Month. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916.
Workpeople employed by Firms making Returns. Average Earnings of these Workpeople. Workpeople employed by Firms making Returns. Average Earnings of these Workpeople. Workpeople employed by Firms making Returns. Average Earnings of these Workpeople. Workpeople employed by Firms making Returns. Average Earnings of these Workpeople.
S. d. s. d. s. d s. d.
January 17,171 12 6 18,019 13 6 16,024 11 4 17,088 13 8
February 17,620 12 10 18,187 13 3 16,334 11 6 18,219 13 6
March 17,955 13 9 17,683 12 9 17,654 13 1 16,993 13 6
April 16,664 14 0 17,556 13 0 16,993 19 0 16,883 14 0
May 18,116 13 9 18,257 13 1 16,651 12 5 17,983 14 1
June 18,366 13 9 17,734 13 6 17,224 12 2 16,939 14 4
July 18,127 13 9 18,044 13 4 16,948 12 2 16,764 14 2
August 16,557 13 8 17,460 11 7 16,743 12 8 16,694 14 7
September 18,900 13 7 18,297 11 5 16,929 12 6 16,766 14 11
October 18,219 13 6 17,249 11 6 16,677 12 9 16,714 14 9
November 17,802 13 6 17,330 11 5 16,510 12 8 16,554 14 10
December 17,935 13 9 17,902 12 0 16,812 13 8

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of I the Board of Trade whether he is aware that no reply has been sent as yet to the request of the Flax Roughers' and Yarn Spinners' Trade Union, Belfast, to the Board of Trade to appoint an arbitrator with reference to their application for an advance of wages and the refusal of the Flax Spinners' Association, Limited, to accede to this demand; whether he can say if the Flax Spinners' Association are willing] to have the matter submitted to arbitration; and, if they are, whether he will consider the advisability of appointing as arbitrator Professor Irvine, of Aberdeen, who has acted in a similar case in Scotland with satisfactory results to all concerned?

Mr. ROBERTS

The Chief Industrial Commissioner has been in communication with the Flax Spinners' Association, who have intimated that they are unable, owing to the depressed state of trade, to concede a further increase beyond the two advances already granted since the outbreak

of war. In further communications addressed to the Flax Spinners' Association they have been asked to consider whether the matter cannot be referred to arbitration or dealt with at a joint conference of the parties under an independent chairman appointed by the Chief Industrial Commissioner. Should the matter proceed to arbitration the Department would be willing to appoint any arbitrator jointly suggested by the parties.

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any minimum

rates have yet been in operation in Belfast in connection with the linen and cotton trades; whether it is only now for the first time that the local Trade Board has taken action in this matter; whether any and, if any, how many representatives of the workers were present at the recent meeting of the Belfast Trade Board; what would be the estimated earnings of the workers concerned per week under the proposed rates; and whether the Board of Trade will take steps to have the new rates put into operation forthwith?

Mr. ROBERTS

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the linen and cotton embroidery trade. As he was informed in answer to his question yesterday, the Linen and Cotton Embroidery Trade Board (Ireland) has resolved to give notice on 8th January that it proposes to fix minimum time-rates ranging from 2½d. to 3¼d. per hour, and also minimum piece-rates. I am informed by the chairman that eleven out of the twelve representatives of workers were present at the last meeting of the Trade Board, at which the decision to propose these rates was arrived at. As the vast majority of the workpeople affected are homeworkers, no reliable estimate can be formed of their weekly earnings under the proposed rates, which would, of course, vary according to the number of hours worked. Before fixing the proposed rates, the Trade Board is bound by Statute to consider any objections to them that may be lodged within three months from the date of giving notice, and there is no power to override this statutory provision.

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the names of the flax spinning and linen mills in Belfast in which short time is being worked at present; the number of women and girls employed; and the average wages earned by the workers?

Mr. ROBERTS

Of the twenty firms in the linen trade in the Belfast district reporting to the Board of Trade for November, 1916, fourteen reported short time. Of these fourteen only eight distinguished between the earnings of male and female workers, and these eight firms employed 7,278 women and girls, whose average earnings were l1s. 10½d. in the week ended 25th November, 1916. The number of male workers at these firms was 2,270, and their average earnings 24s. 4d.

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in

Period, etc. Quantities. Values.
1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916.
Linen Yarns Exported— Thsnd. lbs Thsnd. lbs Thsnd. lbs Thsnd. lbs £ £ £ £
January 1,657 1,469 510 594 112,274 105,913 34,920 60,435
February 1,236 1,261 616 641 90,476 95,504 40,617 67,005
March 1,499 1,437 483 632 103,774 105,193 41,863 70,118
April 1,566 1,395 406 590 113,254 108,443 34,498 70,064
May 1,397 1,329 598 901 108,260 92,068 46,440 98,253
June 1,396 1,425 577 1,462 107,693 103,157 47,313 156,434
July 1,214 1,431 519 943 93,079 103,664 44,097 119,422
August 1,239 539 491 882 94,307 34,879 34,400 100,091
September 1,197 494 480 659 95,345 27,088 43,174 82,362
October 1,412 583 658 666 107,829 34,032 52,920 68,244
November 1,362 524 658 874 100,597 32,067 64,839 99,646
December 1,163 577 522 88,558 41,006 50,163
Total 16,306 12,445 6,417 8,845 (11 mths) 1,215,744 885,429 535,680 992,074 (11m ths.)

a position to state the decision of the Board with regard to the application of the Trade Boards Act to the whole of the Departments in connection with the linen trade in Belfast; and whether he can state what is exactly the nature of the difficulties in the way of the application of this Act?

Mr. ROBERTS

My hon. Friend is evidently under a misapprehension as to the Board's powers under the Trade Boards Act. This Act could only be extended for the Belfast linen trade by a Provisional Order confirmed by Parliament, which would at the same time necessarily include any other districts in which the same trade was carried on. As I have explained in previous answers, the general question of extending the Trade Boards Acts is under consideration.

Mr. DEVLIN

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will furnish a Return showing the export of linen yarns from Belfast for each month of 1913, 1914, 1915, and 1916; value of export; export of linen piece goods for same periods; value of export; number of workpeople engaged in the linen yarn and linen piece goods manufacture in Belfast during these periods; and average wages during the same periods?

Mr. ROBERTS

The quantities and values of linen yarn3 and linen piece goods of home manufacture exported from the United Kingdom to all destinations in the periods specified were as follows:

Period, etc. Quantities. Values.
1913. 1914. 1915. 1916. 1913. 1914. 1915. 1916.
Linen Piece Goods Exported— Thsnd. yds Thsnd. yds Thsnd. yds Thsnd. yds £ £ £ £
January 20,863 20,874 12,178 11,622 606,713 625,202 410,087 475,972
February 17,670 15,536 10,912 14.713 521,343 464,634 384.753 616,753
March 18,053 18,878 10.059 13,809 541,628 566.208 373,275 577,714
April 18,549 16,254 12,968 10,243 561,525 450,262 474,511 450.984
May 16.065 13 447 12,249 17,723 499,114 400,027 457,431 786,586
June. 14,556 14,838 11,326 14,176 459,132 450,138 445,706 686,162
July 13,576 14.008 11,879 12,711 439,019 421,892 460,221 616,690
August 11,797 9,102 8,236 9,546 881,554 275,109 330,108 487,045
September 11,178 16,752 7,835 10,599 374,771 525,514 330,263 526,465
October 17,490 14,896 9,555 9,760 546,813 462,912 394,042 525,045
November 14,350 12,508 12.441 9,525 462,449 418,750 492,405 494,333
December 19,548 12,788 9,188 583,705 420,725 884,525
Total 193,681 178,893 128,776 134,426 (11 months) 5,968,579 5,480,444 4,934,606 6,243,749 (11 months)

NOTE.—The totals shown for completed years represent revised figures and do not in all cases agree with the monthly details. Information respecting numbers employed and wages appears in the OFFICIAL REPORT.