§ 44. Mr. Manderasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the difficulties that have arisen in Wolverhampton which have involved a reversion to night-work in bakeries although unanimous agreement had been arrived at to bake bread and confectionery by day; and whether he will take steps to see that better conditions are secured by night, owing to the lack of ventilation and other difficulties that have arisen through blacking-out and sealing up windows in bakeries?
§ Sir J. AndersonMy information is that the arrangement made at Wolverhampton, as at Birmingham, was that night baking would be temporarily discontinued pending the completion or improvement of black-out arrangements, and I am informed that there would be strong objection to the prohibition of night baking in present circumstances. Conditions as regards ventilation and temperature have been improved since September, and the local factory inspector has received no recent complaints on this subject from bakehouses in Wolverhampton. I think master bakers generally are fully alive to the importance of adequate ventilation, and factory inspectors have been instructed to pay special attention to the point.
§ Mr. ManderIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that all the master bakers in Wolverhampton have agreed to a daytime system of baking, and that a certain number in the area were disloyal and went back on the scheme? Will he take steps to see that the unanimous agreement in Wolverhampton is observed?
§ Sir J. AndersonI do not think that the hon. Member's statement is a full presentation of the circumstances. I have looked into it.
§ Mr. BanfieldHas the right hon. Gentleman any information from his factory inspectors showing the temperature in these bakehouses under these conditions? Has he any report to the effect that these bakeries show a temperature of at least 100 degrees, and does he think that this can he defended on any grounds of common humanity?