§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for War whether the machinery in use at the Government works at Slough is being retained on the hire-purchase system; whether the terms of the contract are such that the full value of the machinery is paid about every six. months; and, if this is so, what is the relation of each instalment of hire to the capital value?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have; been asked to answer this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second and third parts do not, therefore, arise.
§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of hours per week for which pay is issued to the men employed on the Government-works at Slough; what is the number of hours during which they actually work; whether the men living in huts at the works are allowed 9s. per week country money for being housed at their work, and at the same time two hours per day for travelling to and from their work; and, in the latter case, what proportion of the total number employed is affected?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI hare been asked to answer this question. I understand from the contractor that the number of hours actually worked is forty-four per week; workmen are paid for forty-four hours plus two hours travelling time, if they reside at a distance of more than three miles from their work. Men living in the huts at the works are allowed 9s. per week country money if they are keeping a home elsewhere; they are charged, however, 6d. per night as rental accommodation in the huts; they receive no time allowance for travelling. The present number of men living in the huts is approximately 150 out of a total of 3,000 employed on the works.