HC Deb 08 August 1901 vol 99 cc47-8
SIR HOWARD VINCENT

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the changes in the law made in the Grand Committee upon the Factory and Workshop Act Amendment and Consolidation Bill, he will consider the advisability of separating the consolidating from the amending clauses, or in some way showing the new proposals in the old law.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon)

A copy of the Consolidation Bill with notes to explain the Amendments, and also a Memorandum showing how each clause in the amending Bill was embodied in the consolidation Bill, were circulated to members of the Grand Committee; and copies of the Memorandum were deposited in the Vote Office for the use of members. I think this is all that can be done—it would be quite impossible to separate the clauses.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

Is my right hon. friend aware that the new provisions reducing overtime are likely to seriously affect the wage-earning powers of workers in Sheffield?

*MR. RITCHIE

With regard to that, I have received from a very large number of bodies representations against the proposals embodied in the Bill. It is not possible for me to state what course the Government propose to take until the Bill comes on.

MR. NANNETTI

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the opinion of trade unionists of all classes overtime is most injurious to, and not required by, the working classes?

*MR. RITCHIE

I do not know that I can quite go to that length, but still I have had representations from working men asking me to allow the matter to remain as it stands in the Bill.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that we work overtime here?