§ 14. Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Labour what action it is proposed to take to give effect to the new Draft Convention on the protection of children prohibiting the employment of children under 14 years of age adopted at the sixteenth session of the International Labour Conference?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe official text of this Draft Convention has not yet been received from Geneva, and the action to be taken by the Government in regard to it has accordingly not yet been considered.
§ Mr. MANDERHas it been provisionally approved by the Government?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir, I cannot say that. Until I have seen the official text of the Draft Convention, of course, I cannot offer an opinion one way or the other.
§ Mr. MANDERCan the right hon. Gentleman say what was the attitude of the representative of his Department in the discussion?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe attitude of my representative there was that he abstained from voting because the Draft Convention did not contain certain provisions which we regarded as important.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSAre we to understand from the reply that the Government have no policy with regard to the employment of children under 14?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONOh, no, Sir. The hon. Gentleman must not assume anything of the kind.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say why the representative of his Department was not given instructions to vote for the Draft Convention?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONYes. I have already given the reason. It was because 2060 the Draft Convention did not contain certain provisions which we regarded as important.
§ Sir PERCY HARRISSurely it is the policy of the Government, long established, not to approve of the employment of children under 14?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs it raises a question of policy, I cannot answer the question without notice, but the decision will be communicated to the House in the usual way by means of a White Paper.