§ Mr. HAYDAYasked the Minister of Labour whether his consent was asked by the Lace-Finishing Trade Board to issue a fresh proposal reducing the rates; whether he received letters from the workers' side of that trade board, from the Nottingham Home-Workers' League, and from numerous individual workers, protesting against the reduction, and asking to be seen by the Minister; whether no answer or acknowledgment has been sent either to the workers' side of the trade board or to the Home-Workers' League, and that his consent has now been given; and whether, if the answers to the above are in the affirmative, he will explain his reasons for ignoring the representations of the workers' side of the trade board?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAOn the 11th May the Lace-Finishing Trade Board asked my consent to the issue of a notice of proposal to vary the rates which had become effective on the 4th February, and after careful consideration of all the circumstances of the case I did not feel justified in preventing the board from placing before the employers and workers in the trade a proposal to vary the exist-1270W ing rates, and I accordingly gave my consent. I felt that no useful purpose would be served by hearing at the present stage the deputations desired by the workers' side of the trade and by the Nottingham branch of the Home-Workers' League, as the only point for decision was whether the trade should be allowed to consider the Trade Board's proposals. The letters in question were received on 11th May. They were not acknowledged, but were discussed on the telephone, and answered on 31st May. In those letters I expressed my willingness to see both deputations, if they are still desired, after the Board has considered any objections which may be made and reached their decisions on the rates.