§ MR. BARROW (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of Dr. Waldo on the conditions under which a large proportion of the bakery business is being carried on in London; and whether the Local Authorities are impotent under the present law to enforce sanitary remedies; and, if so, will further legislation be introduced at the earliest possible opportunity to effect the object?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. SHAW-LEFEVRE, Bradford, Central)The Report referred to by my hon. Friend is not an official Report, but a Paper read by Dr. Waldo at a meeting of the Sanitary Institute. It certainly discloses a very deplorable state of things. I may remind my hon. Friend that there are provisions in the existing Factory and Workshops Acts under which Sanitary Authorities can take action to put a stop to abuses which render bakehouses unfit for use. Till an attempt has been made by Sani- 1508 tary Authorities to enforce these remedies and has failed I do not think it will be necessary to propose further legislation.
§ DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)Will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiry to be made, with a view to stimulating the flagging action of the Local Authorities?
§ MR. SHAW-LEFEVREIf I have power to stimulate the Local Authorities I will certainly do so.
§ MR. JOHN BURNS (Battersea)Will the right hon. Gentleman, pending the action of the Local Authorities and the inquiry of his own medical officer, consider the advisability of issuing a Circular to all the Local Authorities, directing that all new bakehouses must be above ground and not under ground, as too many now are?
§ MR. SHAW-LEFEVREI will certainly consider that suggestion.