Mr. T. WILSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state the reason why the War Office refuse to enforce the conditions of the Fair-Wages Clause in the case of Messrs. Sadgrove and Company, who refused to pay the french polishers employed by them on a contract for the War Office the current rate of the London district, namely, 10½d. per hour, while other firms engaged on work for the Ministry of Munitions were compelled by that Department to pay their polishers the 10½d. per hour as from 14th February, 1916?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe facts are substantially as stated, but the french polishing work on which the men were engaged was finished before the end of February. The War Department was, therefore, not in a position to enforce a rate of wages which was not agreed upon till later in the year.