§ 23. Mr. Manderasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that a large number of governments have given their support to the revision of the two minimum age conventions at the 23rd International Labour Conference, the British Government will now ratify these revised conventions?
§ Mr. E. BrownNo, Sir. When the draft conventions were under consideration at the Conference referred to in the hon. Member's question, amendments proposed by the International Labour Office permitting the employment of children of not less than 14 years in beneficial employment were defeated. Ratification of the draft conventions would not, therefore, be in accordance with the Government's educational policy as embodied in the Education Act, 1936.