§ MR. J. RAMSAY MACDONALD (Leicester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the difference in the certificates issued to assistant inspectors in 1893 by the then Home Secretary and those issued in 1902, the former empowering assistants to inspect all factories and workshops and the latter limiting their inspection to workshops only; and whether he would reissue the former certificates to assistants whoso period of service and efficiency would, in his opinion, qualify them for exercising the larger powers.
§ * MR. GLADSTONEYes, the form of certificate was changed in 1897, but in order to prevent misunderstandings, and not as a result of any change in the duties assigned to the assistants. From the time the class was instituted in 1893, the duties of the assistants have been confined to workshops and they never have inspected factories. As regards the suggestion in the last part of the Question, I may say that the question of the position and duties of the assistants is now under my consideration.