§ 4. Mr. Dayasked the Secretary for Mines, the number of women and girls employed at coal mines pit heads in Great Britain for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, and details of their employment?
§ Captain Crookshank3,170 women and girls were employed at mines under the Coal Mines Act in Great Britain on 31st December last, of whom 2,324 were wage-earners and 846 clerks and salaried persons. The great majority of the wage-earners are in Scotland and Lancashire, where female labour is employed at the screens. I should, perhaps, remind the hon. Member that employment of women underground has been illegal in this country since 1842.
§ Captain CrookshankI have said that a large majority of them are employed on the screens and a very considerable portion are employed off the screens.
§ Captain CrookshankI have said that the screens are one section of work and the cleaning of offices, charwoman's work, is the other.