HC Deb 24 February 1908 vol 184 cc1357-8
MR. CURRAN

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the inconvenience experienced by trade organisations and the workers generally, by reason of the difficulty of ascertaining who the responsible inspectors for the West London district are, owing to the uncertainty caused by divided and overlapping authority, a consequence of which is that offences are not discovered nor dealt with; and whether it is possible to arrange the duties of factory inspectors (male and female) in such a way that overlapping in the tailoring trade could be effectually obviated and the position of the inspectors made intelligible to both employers and employed.

MR. GLADSTONE

No suggestion that any inconvenience is caused by the existing arrangements has been made to me prior to the hon. Member's Question, nor do I quite understand what is the overlapping or difficulty to which he refers. The name and address of the inspector for the district is stated in the copy of the Abstract posted in every works, and also the name and address of the principal lady inspector; and special complaints relating to the employment of women and girls can, if desired, be made to the latter, other complaints to the former inspector. The Abstract is required to be posted where it can be easily read by the workers. As regards trade organisations, the names and addresses of the responsible inspectors can always be obtained through the workers, or from the published reports of the chief inspector, or by inquiry at the offices of the district inspectors. I may add that laundries and milliners' and dressmakers' workshops in West London are specially assigned to the lady inspectors, but no confusion should arise-as their names alone appear in the Abstract.

MR. CURRAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that certain complications have arisen owing to the male and female inspectors visiting factories where both classes of garments are manufactured, and that the organised workers complain that a certain amount of inspection has been neglected through this unsystematic form of overlapping?

MR. GLADSTONE

If the hon. Member will give me information, I will inquire

MR. CURRAN

I will give specific cases.