§ MR. RENWICK (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to make regulations in regard to the loading, unloading, and discharging of ships in docks or otherwise; and, if so, having regard to the interests that will be affected by such regulations, will he undertake that such regulations shall not be brought into operation until they have lain upon the Table of the House the forty days prescribed by the 84th Section of The Factory Act, 1901; and that the draft regulations, if any, as finally settled by the Home Office, may be available to Members and the public at the earliest date possible.
*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERSDOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sDraft regulations under the Factory Act relating to docks have been the subject of public inquiry since the beginning of the year. I understand that the inquiry is now concluded; and when the Commissioner's Report is in my hands I shall proceed to consider the formal making of the regulations. When made, the regulations will at once be laid before the House, in accordance with the Act, and will be available to all persons interested. In view of the full hearing given by means of the long and careful inquiry to all interests affected by the regulations, I do not feel called upon to postpone the date when the regulations will come into force.
§ MR. RENWICKWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake that these regulations shall lie on the Table for forty days while the House is sitting?
§ *MR. AKERS-DOUGLASI do not think I can undertake that. The draft regulations were issued to those concerned in the first instance, and they sent in what objections they had to the scheme. A Commissioner was appointed, and the whole thing was thrashed out. When the regulations are made they will come into force, but it will be open to any Member to raise any point on these regulations in the House when Parliament reassembles.