Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the report of a Sultanic Decree forbidding the payment of contributions from the wages of workers or others to any trade union in Egypt; whether any legislation exists under which such a decree can be enforced; whether Lord Allenby has issued a Proclamation that this law shall be applicable to all inhabitants of Egypt of whatever nationality; and whether he will take such steps as will secure to all workers in Egypt the right of combination which exists in this country?
Mr. HARMSWORTHSo far as I am aware no decree has been issued in Egypt forbidding the payment of contributions from the wages of workers to a trade union in Egypt. The decree to which the hon. Member probably refers is one which has been issued in order to render illegal a scheme under which all the wages earned by the Cairo Tramway workers would be payable direct to an organisation and not to the individual workers who had earned them. No detailed report has been received from the High Commissioner on the subject, but the telegrams show that Lord Allenby felt that so unprecedented a proceeding required further consideration in the interests of the individual workers.