MR. KEIR-HARDIE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the 10 recently appointed Inspectors of workshops in London cover the same area as 140 Sanitary Inspectors; whether the total salaries of the first named amount to only £1,000 per annum, whilst those of the last named run to £20,000 per annum; and whether he can furnish the number of notifications sent to the workshop Inspectors by the Local Authority, and the number of complaints of insanitation sent from the Inspectors of workshops to the Sanitary Authorities in London only?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQUITH, Fife, E.)I do not know how the figures of 140 and £20,000 are arrived at, but it is the case that since 1892 I have appointed 10 Inspectors' assistants, in addition to the ordinary factory staff, for the special duty of inspecting workshops in the County of London, with salaries of £100 rising to £150; and that in the same time 124 Sanitary Inspectors have been appointed under the Public Health Act, 1891, in the same area and for the most part with the same salary. The duties of the former are confined to workshops; those of the latter are much wider. The number of notifications sent to the workshop Inspectors by the Local Authorities is 292. The number of complaints of insanitary workshops sent by the Inspector of workshops to the Local Authorities is 1,315. I take this opportunity of acknowledging the hearty co-operation of the Medical Officer of the London County Council with the Inspectors of workshops and his readiness to inquire into all cases neglected by the Local Authorities.