§ Mr. LYLEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, to avoid the exploitation of natural economic conditions for purely party purposes, he will lay upon the Table of the House a Return showing the reductions in wages, actual and proposed, in the various chief trades and industries of the country, so that, at all events, there may be no popular misconception of the inevitable trend in all branches of industry or of its exact nature?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have been asked to reply. As regards reductions actually put into operation, details are already published each month in the "Labour Gazette" of the principal changes in rates of wages reported to the Ministry of Labour. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the April issue. As regards proposed reductions, employers are not required to make returns to the Department, and it would be impracticable in the absence of such information to compile a complete statement of proposed changes in rates of wages.