§ MR. H. J. TENNANT (Berwickshire)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number of proposed by-laws under the Employment of Children Act submitted for his sanction have contained provisions for the prohibition of child labour on Sundays; and whether he would view with favour a universal prohibition of this nature.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) I am not able, at such short notice, to give the hon. Member the information asked for in the first part of the Question, which would involve some search; but so far as regards by-laws confirmed and now in force the figures are as follows:—In thirteen cases by-laws have been confirmed prohibiting employment on Sunday in industrial work at home; in one of these cases also employment on Sunday in certain specified occupations is limited to two hours; and in thirty cases street trading on Sunday has been prohibited. Several proposals from other authorities with regard to Sunday employment are now under my consideration. As regards the second part of the Question, I shall give careful consideration to any proposals from local authorities for restricting as much as possible the employment of children on Sundays, but I am not prepared to say that a universal and complete prohibition of such employment would be warranted.