§ MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he can now communicate to the House the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown with reference to deductions from wages as "fines" when such deductions are other than the stoppage of unearned wage; and, whether he will issue a Circular to the Inspector of Mines and Factories giving instructions on this point?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER) (Isle of Wight)(who replied) said, he had no objection 1396 to state that, in the opinion of the Solicitor General and himself, deductions from wages as fines other than as the stoppage of unearned wages was illegal It would require an examination into the facts of each particular case before it could be decided whether deductions were or were not illegal.