§ 29. Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the working conditions and wages paid to chemists' assistants in Ireland; if he will see that licences are not issued to chemists paying assistants a starvation wage; and if he will see that their working hours are not such as to be injurious to health?
§ Mr. DUKEAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given him by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour on the 17th May. Chemists are regulated by the provisions of the Pharmacy Acts and not under licences issued by the Chief Secretary. The working hours are regulated by the Shops Acts.
§ Mr. BYRNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Government have big contracts with chemists in Ireland who pay assistants 25s. per week and work them sixteen hours per day?