§ MR. H. J. TENNANT (Berwickshire)To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to make any increase in the staff of the Factory Department, either of His Majesty's inspectors, of His Majesty's women inspectors, or of His Majesty's inspectors' assistants; if increases are contemplated in any of these branches of his Department; and whether the general staff of the Home Office will be strengthened.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) During the autumn I made careful inquiry into the work of the Factory Department, and came to the conclusion that a strong case was made out for strengthening considerably both the organisation and the inspecting staff of the Department. A scheme was accordingly prepared and submitted to the Treasury which, subject to a few modifications, has now received their assent. I cannot, within the limits of this Answer, enter into the details of the scheme, but it involves the following very substantial additions to the headquarters and general inspecting staff during the next financial year: the headquarters staff will be strengthened by the addition of a second deputy chief inspector and a second medical inspector; the general inspecting staff by a superintending inspector, sixteen inspectors, eleven inspectors' assistants, and five lady inspectors. Further provision is also made for clerical assistance, both at headquarters and in certain districts where the clerical work is heavy. At the same time I have had under consideration the industrial work of the Home Office proper, and decided that, in view of its great growth, 21 the branch of the office which deals with this work should, as soon as possible, be relieved of the other important duties which are now assigned to it, and should devote itself exclusively to administration of industrial law and the study of industrial questions. The Treasury have agreed to an addition to the staff to enable this to be done.