§ 36. Mr. WADDINGTONasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that excessively long hours are being worked in Lancashire by locomotive men and goods guards on the railway; and can he state when he expects to relieve the position and enable the men to have an actual eight-hour working day instead of, as in many cases at present, a working day of 12 to 15 hours?
§ Mr. NEALI have no reason to suppose that railway companies in Lancashire and elsewhere are not doing all that they can to reduce the hours worked by locomotive men and goods guards to 500 eight hours a day or as near thereto as may be possible. My hon. Friend will appreciate, I am sure, that the detailed working of shifts is not a matter which can be dealt with from Whitehall. My attention has not recently been called to any such long hours as are mentioned as being systematically worked, but I will pass the question to the railway company concerned if the hon. Member will supply me with the necessary information.