§ MR. JOWETT (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the facts made known during the prosecution, at Bacup, of a carter for being asleep while on duty, from which it appears that, after this carter had been on the road for twenty-four hours, he was called on, after being allowed only one and a half hours rest, to undertake another journey to Manchester; and whether, in view of the circumstances, he will take steps to put a stop to the practice of employers who make such demands on the physical endurance of their workpeople.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have received a Report on the case from the police, from which it appears that statements to this effect were made by the defendant and his wife; and the Chief Constable says that the case is one of many that have come before the Justices in which the carters have according to their statements been employed continuously for an 1436 unreasonable number of hours, and in which the Justices considered the employer was more culpable than the servant. The matter is not one in which I have any power to take action under the existing law, but I will bear the point in mind in connection with any legislation to amend the Highways Act that may be contemplated in the future. In the meantime I hope the hon. Member's Question will have the effect of drawing the attention of employers to the matter.