§ MR. MICHAEL AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is intended to fill up the existing vacancy of the lady Superintendent Factory Inspector; and, if not how are the administrative duties of the women's department to be adequately carried out?
§ MR. WALTER HAZELL (Leicester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that factory employés and others are very anxious that a lady Superindent Inspector of Factories should be appointed without further delay; and whether he can now state when this will be done?
§ MR. H. O. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is proposed to maintain the office of Superintending Inspector to the Women's Department of the Home Office; and, if so, when an appointment is likely to be made?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolI stated yesterday in the House that I was about to appoint a Principal Lady Inspector to fill the present vacancy. It will be done, I hope, immediately.
§ * SIR C. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)asked whether he was to assume that though the lady Inspector was not to be a Superintending Inspector she would have the ordinary powers of a Superintending Inspector?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYsaid that he was not quite certain what powers attached to the title of lady Inspector. He thought that there might 380 be some difference in the regulations with regard to lady Inspectors.
§ * SIR C. DILKEasked whether, if the lady principal Inspector was to be present at meetings of the superintending inspectors, and would have power to sanction prosecutions?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYsaid that there were certain cases in which prosecutions would have to be sanctioned.