Oral Answers to Questions — Ministry of Works – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 April 1948.
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
12:00,
26 April 1948
asked the Minister of Works whether the recent increases in wages in the building industry apply to both unionists and non-unionists alike.
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
The wage agreements reached by the joint negotiating machinery make no distinction between unionists and non-unionists.
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Coventry Corporation are paying labourers who are not unionists 2s. 2½d. an hour and labourers who are unionists 2s. 6d. an hour? Does he think it equitable that the ratepayers' and taxpayers' money should be used by a Socialist council to induce workmen to join a trade union?
Mr Charles Key
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
As the Minister of Labour informed the hon. Gentleman, this is a matter in which we have no power to intervene.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
A group of workers who have united to promote their common interests.
