HC Deb 27 March 1934 vol 287 cc1826-8W
Sir R. GOWER

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that, following the introduction of acetylene burning and welding in His Majesty's dockyards, burners, who had previously been in receipt of wages amounting to 44s. and 47s. per week in the event of their having passed the welding test, have now had their rates reduced to 39s.; and whether all the employés' organisations in His Majesty's dockyards were consulted before the reduction took place?

Lord STANLEY

I think the hon. Member has been misinformed. The authorised range of wages for men rated as burners in His Majesty's dockyards has never been 44s. to 47s. a week. The purpose of the recent Admiralty order was to confirm that the authorised basic range for such men was 34s. to 39s. a

Production of Saleable Coal in: Coal Exported from:
Year. Yorkshire. Durham. Northumberland Scotland. Humber Ports.* Ports on the North East Coast of England.* Scottish Ports.
Quantity. Average declared value per ton f.o.b. Quantity. Average declared value per ton f.o.b. Quantity. Average declared value per ton f.o.b.
Thousand Tons. Thousand Tons. s. d. Thousand Tons. s. d. Thousand Tons. s. d.
1931 40,590 30,249 12,496 29,072 4,227 13 8 14,292 13 8 4,521 14 6
1932 38,075 27,802 12,166 28,804 3,336 14 1 12,626 13 4 5,158 13 11
1933 37,252 27,606 12,474 29,243 3,254 14 3 13,434 13 0 5,296 14 0
* Separate particulars of the quantity of coal exported from Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland are not available.

week, and the order did not reduce the existing wages of any person. In the circumstances, there was no occasion for the Admiralty to consult any employés' organisation beforehand.