§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the many instances in which employers have been evading payment of the legal rates of wages prescribed by the order of the Retail Bespoke Tailoring Trade Board; whether any action has been taken by his Department to secure compliance with the order; and whether, in view of these evasions, he will carefully consider the situation before sanctioning any reduction in the present rates?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe Retail Bespoke Tailoring Trade possesses, apart from the Trade Board, an elaborate system of piece rates, varying from district to district, and inspection is, therefore, more difficult in this than in many other trades. Subject to this difficulty, the Department, with a view to ensuring compliance with the Acts, have inspected as widely as their staff permits. With regard to the last part of the question, I will take this point into account, along with all other
Occupation. Number of persons applied for. Number of persons for whom permits were granted. Number of persons for whom permits were refused. Domestic Servants (Male and Female) … 1,464 1,028 436 Teachers, etc. … 152 120 32 Variety Artistes, Musicians, etc. … 759 715 44 Clerks and Foreign Correspondents … 299 214 85 Tailors, etc. … 59 21 38 Waiters, Chefs, Cooks, etc. … 222 67 155 Shop Assistants … 246 16 230 Skilled Workmen (various) … 189 157 32 Miscellaneous … 155 113 42 Total … 3,545 2,451 1,094