§ MR. PAUL (Edinburgh, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the disclosures in Miss Irvin's Report on the evils of public and private laundries in Edinburgh and other cities of Scotland, which are due to want of regulation and inspection; and whether he will consider during the Recess, if there is one, the desirability of including laundries under the Factory and Workshops Acts? Also, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Edinburgh Trades Council and Working Men's Federation have passed a resolution in favour of the regulation of laundries at the cost of the State?
§ MR. ASQUITHMiss Irvin's Report has been before me. I am one of those who regret that laundries were not included in the Factory Act, 1891. The matter is at present under consideration, and I am having inquiries made in various parts of the United Kingdom on the subject.
§ MR. JOHN WILSON (Govan)May I ask whether, considering the wearing-out nature of the industry, the Home Secretary will take early steps to place u under the Factory Acts?
§ MR. STUART-WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam)Is it not the fact that, had Parliament in 1891 made laundries liable to inspection, it would have necessitated the inspection of some convents?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a matter on which I cannot pronounce a definite opinion at the moment; but since the Act of 1891 we have been able to appoint female Inspectors, and that might possibly get rid of the objection.