§ MR. CLAUDE HAYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will obtain and furnish to the House full statistics of prosecutions in the tailoring trade under the Particulars Section of the Factory Act; what is the number of complaints he has received 57 during the past year respecting the nonobservance of the provisions of the clause, and the number of persons affected by such complaints; and what is the result of the investigations of such complaints.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe complete figures of prosecutions under the Particulars Order for the tailoring trade since 1903 are eighteen cases and fourteen convictions. Only one complaint of failure to give the particulars required by this Order was received at the Home Office last year. I cannot give the number of persons affected by the complaint, but it referred to two firms employing respectively forty-nine and 119 persons. The investigations arising out of this complaint are not yet completed. I should add that complaints would usually be made to the inspecting staff, and not to the Home Office.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYWhen will the investigation be completed?
§ MR. GLADSTONEI will make inquiry and let the hon. Member know.