§ MR. SHACKLETON (Lancashire, Clitheroe)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, before drafting the Order No. 1,696, he did not ascertain directly from the operatives concerned what their views were; whether he is aware that the trade union concerned is opposed to the legislation of the overtime, and also that the Belfast Trades Council has passed a resolution against the Order; and that on an application being made by the non-textile members of the union concerned to the Secretary of State seven or eight years ago to abolish overtime for women altogether, one of the women factory inspectors was sent to Belfast to inquire, and that her report was in favour of further reduction.
§ *MR. AKERS-DOUGLASInquiries were made, and it was reported to me that the operatives immediately concerned would strongly object to the abolition of the practice, which was of many years standing. No complaint in regard to the practice has at any time been made to me, either by any of the operatives affected or by the Belfast Trades Council; and, as I stated in reply to the hon. Member's previous Question,† before the Order was formally made it was published in draft, as required by the Act, with a view to giving opportunity for objections to be made, but no objections were received. The inquiry to which I think the hon. Member must be alluding in the last paragraph of his Question was an inquiry into a different branch of the industry, and on quite a different matter, not overtime, but employment outside the factory or workshop.
† See (4) Debates, exli., 470.