HC Deb 04 June 1902 vol 108 cc1399-400
MR. WEIR (ROSS and Cromarty)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will state whether local sanitary inspectors have free access to all Post Office buildings for the purpose of inspection whether the property of the Crown or otherwise; and will he say whether the sorting office at St. Martin's-le-Grand has been inspected by the local sanitary inspector during the present year. And, are the offices in which the clerical or other staff of the Post Office employed in all instances so arranged as to conform to the regulations in force in the case of buildings liable to inspection under the Factories Acts, so far as the question of space allotted to each person is concerned.

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

Local sanitary inspectors are not allowed free access to Post Office buildings belonging to the Crown; and the Sorting Office in the General Post Office at St. Martin's-le-Grand has not been inspected by the Public Sanitary Inspector during the present year. The building has, however, been recently inspected by a Factory Inspector, and there is no reason to suppose that the requirements of the Factory Acts are contravened in any respect, either in this or in any other building belonging to the Department.