HC Deb 27 April 1891 vol 352 cc1476-7
MR. J. WILSON (Lanark, Govan)

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether the attention of the Secretary for Scot land has been called to recent statements made in the public Press of Glasgow regarding the long hours during which women, other than domestic servants, are compelled to work in restaurant kitchens, the sanitary conditions under which they work, and the consequent injury to their health; and whether their case is covered by the Factory Acts, the Workshops Acts, or any other existing legislation of a like character; and, if not, whether the Government will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to meet their case?

THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. P. B. ROBERTSON, Bute)

The Secretary for Scotland has no knowledge of any such statements as are referred to in the question. Restaurant kitchens are not workshops under the Factory and Workshops Act, but any complaint as to their sanitary condition may at present be dealt with under the Public Health Acts. I do not, therefore, see any necessity for introducing legislation on the subject.