§ SIR H. VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the statement made on the 26th instant by the Union Secretary to the Federated Trades, in a public meeting held in Central Sheffield of hand file-cutters, as to the difficulties which will be caused to the file-cutters of finding places in which to follow their occupation, as no one would expend the money required to erect new shops under the new regulations proposed in the recommendations of the Dangerous Trades Commission; and under such circumstances, whether he will suspend the issue of any new orders until fresh inquiry has been made, after full notice to masters as well as to the grinders, cutters, and others whose interests are money required to erect new shops affected?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTI have seen the newspaper report of the meeting referred to, which my honourable Friend has been good enough to send me, but have not yet myself received any communication from the workers in the file-cutting industry. It is clear, I think, that the conditions under which file-cutting by hand is carried on are far from satisfactory, and I have communicated the recommendations of the Committee to the owners of the file-cutting shops, and asked for their observations. I have not yet decided what form the Home Office action will take; but before any of the Committee's recommendations can be enforced, special Rules will be necessary, and the consideration of the Rules will give ample opportunity for the expression of the views of all persons affected.