§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in the lately issued Factory Inspector's Report, the usual tables of persons employed in the various industries in different parts of the country, based on the Returns made under Section 34 of the Factory Act, 1895, have been omitted; and whether he will now supply this information by way of a Return, or otherwise.
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolAs I stated in answer to the right hon. Baronet the Member for the Forest of Dean on 15th February, it was necessary to omit the tables referred to if the Chief Inspector's Report was to be issued early, as desired by this House. A fresh Return 171 of the numbers employed in factories will be compiled and published in due course, probably with the Chief Inspector's Report for the current year. I propose in future to publish the Return triennially. Its annual preparation involves so much labour as to interfere seriously even with the ordinary work of inspection.