HC Deb 14 November 1927 vol 210 cc617-8
35. Miss LAWRENCE

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will communicate to the House the terms of the draft Ordinances for the regulation of the labour of women and children in Palestine before they are confirmed by the Colonial Office?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I have already authorised the High Commissioner to proceed at once with the enactment of the draft Ordinance in question.

Miss LAWRENCE

Will the draft Order be laid on the Table of the House and accessible to hon. Members?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

It is a pretty long document to have specially reprinted It is unusual to lay documents of this kind, especially as this will be the subject of close scrutiny by the International Labour Office and the Permanent Mandates Committee at Geneva, and I do not think I can make an exception in the case of this Ordinance, which has been the subject of very careful correspondence between the Government of Palestine and the home Government.

Miss LAWRENCE

In view of the importance of the question of child labour, will the Under-Secretary reconsider the matter if I put down another question?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I shall be happy to discuss the matter with the hon. Member. There has been a prolonged corre- spondence as to the actual Clauses and draft of this Measure, and, quite frankly, I hope there will be no further delay.

Miss LAWRENCE

May I ask whether the Colonial Secretary will reconsider the matter if I put down another question? He stated in the House that he would do so; and in view of the statement that such an Order was in contemplation,, and in view of the concern with which many regard the question of child labour, I would ask him to reconsider it.

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I should like to press upon the hon. Member that I am as much concerned about the question of child labour as she is herself.

Miss LAWRENCE

rose

Mr. SPEAKER

I must point out to the hon. Member that there are more than 100 questions on the Order Paper to-day.