§ 56. Mr. ALBERT SMITHasked whether in view of the facts that no additional women factory inspectors have been appointed since 1908 other than those needed to fill posts which have been vacated, and that during these years the 847 number of working women coming under Home Office inspection have increased from one and a half millions to nearly two millions, the Home Secretary will make a substantial increase in His Majesty's women inspectors' staff?
§ Mr. McKENNAMy hon. Friend has, I think, been misinformed as to the figures of employment of women in factories and workshops. The last Return relates to the year 1907, when the number was 1,852,241, and not 1,500,000, and there are no figures as to the number at present employed. The Return for 1912 is now being collected. Proposals for strengthening the staff of the Factory Department are now under consideration, and I hope to make an addition to the women inspectors' staff as well as to the staff of other branches of the Department.