HC Deb 08 June 1891 vol 353 cc1825-7
MR. SUMMERS

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a resolution recently passed at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Unions Congress, expressing strong disapproval of the action of the Government in departing from the recommendations of the Berlin Conference on the subject of child labour; and whether the Government will take this resolution into their serious consideration before the Report of the Factory and Workshops Bill is reached?

MR. TOMLINSON (Preston)

I wish to ask whether the persons engaged in the textile industries, in which the half-time system prevails, are not unanimously opposed to the recommendations of the Berlin Conference on the question of child labour and half-time?

MR. MACLEAN

May I also ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that there is no representative on the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress of the textile industries in which half-time prevails?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I am not aware, but if the fact be as stated the Resolution referred to would not possess the weight that it otherwise would. In answer to the question on the Paper, I have not received any copy of the Resolution to which the hon. Member refers, nor have I seen it reported in the newspapers. I believe it is the fact, as the hon. Member for Preston represents, that the persons engaged in certain trades chiefly affected are opposed to the recommendations of the Berlin Conference.

MR. SUMMERS

Did not Sir John Gorst write to Lord Salisbury stating that all the British delegates and experts at Berlin, including Mr. Birtwhistle, Secretary to the United Weavers' Association; Mr. Burnett, Labour Correspondent of the Board of Trade; Mr. Whimper, one of the superintending Inspectors of Factories; and the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. Burt), were in favour of raising the age of child labour from 10 to 12?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I must ask for notice of a question such as that, which involves matters of detail.

MR. SUMMERS

There is a quotation to that effect in the Blue Book.

MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N.W.)

put a further question as to the composition of the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress.

MR. W.H. SMITH

I cannot help pointing out that it is most inconvenient that a Minister should be asked ques- tions in regard to matters of fact -without notice.

MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM

I beg to apologise for not having given notice, but I was only following the example set by one of the right hon. Gentleman's own followers on this very point.