HC Deb 22 February 1900 vol 79 c799
MR. TALBOT () Oxford University

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the report of the principal lady inspector in the Chief Inspector's Report on Factories and Workshops for 1898, which shows a considerable diminution in the number of visits of female inspectors to factories and workshops in 1898 as compared with 1895, such diminution being assigned chiefly to the excessive development of clerical work without clerical assistance: and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of things.

* THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, Blackpool

I am aware of the fact mentioned, but I may direct my right hon. friend's attention to other parts of the same report of the principal lady inspector, which show that a second clerk has been given to her department; and that changes in administrative methods have boon introduced which are calculated, and which she says she confidently expects, to lessen the strain of clerical work in this as well as in other branches of the Factory Department.

MR. TALBOT

But there was a diminution of visits?

* SIR M. WHITE RIDLEY

If my right hon. friend is good enough to read the later pages of the Report, I do not think he will have much fault to find.