§ Sir P. HURDasked the Minister of Agriculture the average of the weekly minimum wage-rates fixed by the Agricultural Wages Board at the present time and the average wages actually paid, making allowance for higher rates and overtime, with comparable figures for a year ago?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe average of the weekly minimum rates of wages for ordinary adult male agricultural workers fixed by the Agricultural Wages Committees is at the present time 32s. 1d., as compared with 31s. 9d. a year ago. These figures do not include overtime payments or additional remuneration for special seasonal work such as harvest. In addition, workers employed in tending animals who regularly work longer hours than ordinary workers are entitled under the minimum wage Orders either to special weekly minimum rates ranging from 3s. 6d. to 10s. above the rates for ordinary workers, or to overtime payments in accordance with the extra number of hours worked. I regret that statistics of the actual earnings are not available.