§ MR. BYLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any official reports as to the causes of the increase of half-time child labour reported by His Majesty's Inspector of Factories; and whether the Home Office proposes to take any, and, if any, what, action to check it.
† See (4)Debates, clxxii., 17.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe increase reported by the chief inspector is an increase in certain towns only. As regards the cause, or one of the causes, of this increase, I may refer my hon. friend to a previous Answer of mine this session, on the 7th March, in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for West Bradford, † from which he will gather that the increase in child labour is more apparent than real. Half-time employment generally is decreasing.