HC Deb 14 March 1927 vol 203 cc1645-6
76. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the statement made by the coroner at the inquest on a baker who died at Sunninghill, Berkshire, in connection with the deceased having worked 14 to 15 hours for six nights per week; if he is aware that a two-thirds majority was secured in favour of the abolition of night-work in bakeries by the League of Nations Geneva Conference; and if he can state whether it is the intention of the Government to ratify the Geneva decision?

Captain HACKING

My right hon. Friend has not seen the statement of the coroner, but since his attention was called to the case by the hon. Member's question, he has made some inquiries. So far as I have been able to ascertain, it appears to have been the case that the man was being employed for excessively long hours, and at a time when he was in an advanced stage of tuberculosis. My right hon. Friend regrets that there is no action which he can take in the matter. The long hours would not have been prevented by the ratification of the Night Baking Convention, the effect of which is only to prevent employment during a certain period of the night, and my right hon. Friend has already explained on previous occasions why the Government do not see their way to ratify the Convention which their representatives voted against at Geneva.