§ MR. J. RUTHERFORD) (Lancashire, DarwenI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can inform the House what is the number of girls and what is the number of boys between the ages of 11 and 12, 552 and 12 and 13 respectively, who are employed as half timers in factories and workshops in England and Wales, in Scotland, and in Ireland?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYThe information asked for could only be obtained by means of a Return from every elementary school, and would cost a great deal of trouble to collect. The total number of half-timers, however, employed in England and Wales during the year ending August 31st last was, the Education Department informs me, 126,896. I have no figures for Scotland and Ireland. ["Hear, hear!"]