§ 26. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to a case where a young woman at Leeds was kept at work for over twenty-four hours, and when proceedings were taken under the Factory Acts the stipendiary magistrate dismissed the case; and whether any attempts are being made to prevent the working of men, women, and children for such periods as are obviously detrimental to health?
§ 32. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to a recent case in which Messrs. Greenwood and Batley, Limited, a firm of Leeds engineers, engaged in the manufacture of cartridges and other munitions of war, were summoned for allowing girls to work slightly longer hours than are permissible under the Factory Acts; whether, at the first hearing, the Leeds stipendiary dismissed the case as being one of a trifling character; whether the case was brought on a second time under the instructions of the then Home Secretary; whether he is aware that it appeared on the hearing that the amount of overtime worked was trifling in amount and was necessitated by a breakdown of machinery in one department, and that unless such overtime had been worked all the other departments would have for the time being been brought to a standstill, to the great public detriment, and that the magistrate eventually dismissed the summons under the Probation Act; and whether the Home Office will in future take account of the special circumstances of each case and will abstain from directing prosecutions of this character unless a serious question is involved?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)It is fully recognised that there are cases in which substantial relaxation of the regulations, enforced in time of peace, is called for in time of war, especially when Government work is being done. 358 Exemption orders relaxing rules as to hours and other matters are granted on application in all proper cases, and thousands of such exemptions have been given. The hon. and learned Member for York has, however, been very seriously misinformed as to the facts of this particular case. It was not one of slight overtime, as suggested in the question. Women and young persons had been worked through the whole of Friday and Friday night up to mid-day on Saturday—a period of thirty hours on end, and were brought in again, also illegally, on Sunday and worked from six in the morning to five in the evening. Such hours not only inflict great hardship on the workers, but as my predecessor pointed out, in reply to a question on this case on the 27th April, they diminish the efficiency of the workers, and so far from assisting are detrimental to the national interests. The proceedings were taken only after the fullest inquiry and consideration, and after consultation with the War Office, who concurred in the prosecution.
§ Mr. KINGWill the hon. Member bring these facts to the notice of the new Minister of Munitions, so that provision may be taken that no such evils will recur?
§ Mr. BUTCHERMight I ask if the summons was eventually dismissed?