§ 13. Mr. TINKERasked the Secretary for Mines if his attention has been drawn to what happened on Thursday, 9th November, at Hulton's Colliery, Chequerbent, near Bolton, where the men working in the three-quarters mine were ordered to stop in the mine from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and, as this appears to be a breach of the 7½ Hours Act, will he say what action he intends to take?
§ Mr. E. BROWNMy attention has been drawn to this case but I have not yet completed my inquiries, and I shall be glad if the hon. Member will put down another question in about a week's time.
§ Mr. TINKERIs the hon. Member aware that the men have had to play two days because of the attitude of the management in insisting that they should work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and that they have gone to work on the understanding that they are able to come up at 2.30? Does the hon. Member think the employers should be allowed to break the law in this way?
§ Mr. BROWNIf the hon. Member will put his question down, he will find that I shall give him a definite answer, as the result of my inquiry, in about a week's time.
§ Mr. R. DAVIESWill the hon. Member be good enough to tell the House whether his Department has power to take action against the management of a colliery for ordering men to break the law?
§ Mr. BROWNThere are powers in the Act of 1908, but, as the hon. Member and the House know, it is not easy to decide, in modern circumstances, what is and what is not illegal overtime. I am making inquiries into the allegation in this case, and it is in regard to this specific case that I shall give my reply.
§ Mr. DAVIESI press my question. Has the Department power to take legal action against the manager of a colliery for ordering his workpeople to break the law?
§ Mr. BROWNThe hon. Member knows that just before the House rose I announced prosecutions in certain cases. I would point out that this is not a question of overtime, but whether it is illegal under the Act. If it is illegal, we have power.