§ 107. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether His Majesty's superintendent inspector of factories and His Majesty's inspector of factories for Bradford attended on behalf of the Home Office before the Bradford Education Committee on 26th January and requested them to release children of thirteen for full-time employment; whether there are already over 5,000 children between twelve and fourteen years of age released for half-time employment in Bradford; and by what authority the Home Office has put pressure on an education authority to suspend its educational by-laws?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)The suggestion that on the occasion in question the two inspectors urged the committee to release children of thirteen for full-time employment is unfounded. The facts, which have already been made public, are as follows: Representations have been made to the Home Office by the Bradford Chamber of Commerce that great difficulties are being experienced in the woollen and worsted industries at Bradford owing to the shortage of labour caused by the War and that this position might be considerably alleviated if the age for full-time employment were lowered. The superintending inspector was instructed to report to the Home Office on this application, and, for the purpose of this report, he and the district inspector interviewed the director of education, and later, at the director's suggestion, they conferred with the committee in order to ascertain the committee's views in the matter and communicate them to me. I understand that there are, as stated, about 5,000 half-timers in Bradford.