§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in consideration of the inconvenience caused by the great delay in the issue of the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, he can this year make arrangements that it shall be published earlier, and, if possible, before the Debate on the Home Office Vote?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLET,) Lancs., BlackpoolI fear that there are greater difficulties than ever before in the way of an early publication of the Chief Inspector's Report. An important reorganisation of the factory staff has been sanctioned by the Treasury, and will have to be carried out by the Chief Inspector during the next few months. A Factory Bill will shortly be before Parliament on which I shall constantly require his assistance and advice. Numerous questions of the utmost importance as to dangerous industries have reached the point at which he must deal with them. In short, I 1264 feel that I cannot withdraw him from these important and immediate duties for the purpose of writing an annual report, however valuable; and I think that it will be better that the report should be left till the autumn, and be published towards the end of the year, like the reports of the Local Government Board and the Registrar-General.
§ SIR CHARLES DILKECould we not have the reports of the other inspectors?
§ THE HOME SECRETARYI do not think it is possible to do that.