§ MR. E. POTTERsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If he intends to bring in a Bill for the amendment of the Workshops Regulation Bill?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, he could not deny that the Act was one which required amendment; at the same time, the more he reflected on it the more expedient it appeared to consider it in conjuction with the Factory Acts. As the matter was one that required a great deal of attention, the Government had not, up to the present, been able to devote to it the necessary time. He should be sorry to return an absolute negative to the Question, but he was not able to give a positive promise.
Afterwards—
§ MR. AKROYDsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is his intention to bring in, during the present Session, a Bill to assimilate the Factory Extension Act and the Workshops Regulation Act, or to enforce the administration of the Workshops Regulation Act in districts where the local authorities refuse to do so?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, that he would willingly enforce the administration of the Workshops Regulation Act in districts where the local authorities refused to do so, but he was not aware that the Act gave him the power of doing so.