§ *MR. REESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of the consideration of the grievance of the London florists resulting from the enforcement of the Factory Act in respect of their shops and employees following upon the decision in the case of Hoare v. Green.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (MR. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)After careful consideration of the representations which I have received from the trade, and of the Report of the inspector, I have informed the trade that I shall be prepared to consider an application for the extension to the trade generally of the special exceptions in Sections 43 and 49 of the Act, but that the requirements of the Act as to non-employment in the workshop of women and young persons on Sunday, and as to the half-holiday being given to all women and young persons in the workshop on the same day must be complied with. As regards these two points I have no power to grant any exemption, and I understand from the inspector's Report that in a number of florists' establishments there is no Sunday employment of women and young persons at present, and that, in the opinion 484 of many florists, the difficulty as to giving the half-holiday on the same day is one that can be overcome.
§ *MR. REESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless the severity of these regulations is mitigated the effect will be the substitution of male foreigners for English women in the trade?
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe hon. Member has told me so.