§ MR. W. JOHNSON (Warickshire, Nuneaton)To ask the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that the sum of 2s. 7d. is charged for certificates of birth by superintendent registrars and registrars of birth, whereas under Section 134 of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1904, only 6d. should be the fee, owing to the applicants, who are very poor people, being in ignorance that they can obtain a requisition form free of charge from registrars and superintendent registrars of births; whether he will issue an order making it compulsory that registrars and superintendent registrars of births shall on every application for such certificates point out to the applicant that such a form is necessary and offer the said form to the applicants; and whether he will confer with the Secretary of State for the Home Department as to the inspectors of factories assisting the Local Government Board to prevent the imposition of such a charge upon applicants for certificates.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) Where application is made to a superintendent registrar or registrar, and properly verified, for a certificate of the birth of any young person or child which is required for any of the purposes of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, or for any purpose connected with the employment in labour or elementary education of the young person or child, the officer is bound by the regulations in force to furnish the applicant with a cheap certificate costing 6d. instead of the usual fee of 3s. 7d. I understand from tie Registrar-General that he has no 945 reason to suppose that the officers do not act in accordance with the spirit and intention of the Act and regulations, but if any particular case to the contrary is brought to his notice he will cause inquiry to be made into it. It does not at present appear to me to be necessary to take further action in the matter.