HC Deb 25 November 1908 vol 197 cc394-5
SIR CHARLES W. DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, seeing that the general restrictions on employment of children contained in The Employment of Children Act, 1903, are not affected by the provisions of the Children Bill, he is taking any, and what, steps to call the attention of all concerned to the non-enforcement of subsections 4 and 5 of Section 3, provisions of universal application, agreed to by Parliament on the suggestion of the Home Office, and forbidding in regard to persons under the age of fourteen the carrying of weights and employment in occupations likely to be injurious to the child.

MR. GLADSTONE

So far as regards the industries to which the Factory Act applies, the factory inspectors are charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions to which the right hon. Baronet refers; and I have, in accordance with the promise I gave on the Estimates recently issued fresh instructions to them with a view to the more effective enforcement of the law. In the case of the miscellaneous industries not under the Home Office jurisdiction, the local authority is responsible for the enforcement of the provisions. I should be obliged if my right hon. friend will communicate to me any information in his possession showing that they have not been enforced in these industries. I would point out, however, in the first place, that the bulk of the employment is in light occupations, such as newspaper delivery, delivery of parcels and the like. The Interdepartmental Committee found that employment in such occupations for moderate hours was beneficial rather than injurious to health. In the second place, as regards occupations of a heavier character, local authorities in many cases have had regard to this when framing bye-laws under Section 1 of the Act, either by restricting the number of hours, or prohibiting the employment altogether in certain cases. If it should appear necessary, I shall be prepared to call the attention of the local authorities again to the provisions.

* SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

It can be enforced by anyone?

MR. GLADSTONE

Yes.