HC Deb 01 April 1960 vol 620 cc1735-7

Amendment made: In page 3, line 20, after "under", insert "section one of". —[Mr. J. Harvey.]

Mr. Marsh

I beg to move, in page 3, line 24, at the end to insert: (3) If two or more occupiers of offices situated in the same premises agree to post such copies as are mentioned in subsection (1) of this section in one place where they can conveniently be read by all persons employed by those occupiers in those premises the posting and maintenance accordingly of those copies shall be deemed to constitute a compliance by each of those occupiers with the requirements of the two foregoing subsections. This Amendment arises out of an Amendment moved by the hon. Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Iremonger), who was particularly worried that the posting of notices would detract from the amenities of offices. We had a long debate on this issue. Hon. Members on this side of the House, and indeed many on the other side, will feel that in legislation of this type it is essential that the persons concerned shall be able to see quite easily their rights and entitlements within the Bill when it becomes an Act. This is the same procedure as is followed by the Factory Acts.

There can be no question that we regard the posting of notices as essential to the enforcement of the Measure. The point was made, and it was stressed at considerable length by hon. Members opposite, that in many cases the posting of regulations would detract from the amenities of the office. The hon. and gallant Member for Cheltenham (Major Hicks Beach) wrung our hearts with a reference to his own office and the beautiful oak-pannelled wall and Adam fireplace, the beauty of which would be destroyed if these regulations were posted on the wall. This is something which hon. Gentlemen opposite feel very strongly about, and, as a result, we went to considerable lengths in Committee in an effort to try to meet them.

The suggestion was made that if the regulations could be posted at some central point, at which all the staff would be able to see them, that would probably be acceptable. The unfortunate point about that was that at one stage of our proceedings it seemed that the only central place in the office was the lavatory, and after further discussion we left this point. This Amendment is intended to assist in meeting the objections of hon. Gentlemen opposite, and to ensure that two or more occupiers of an office shall be able jointly to agree to post the abstract in a central position so that it can be seen by all persons working in that office, the occupiers being jointly responsible.

Dr. A. Glyn

As the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Marsh) said, the Amendment is a compromise. In Committee many of my hon. Friends laid stress on the fact that the whole question of notices is quite unnecessary. We spoke of persons working in offices who were of high intelligence. I abhor the idea of having to have the country littered with notices on every possible occasion. Persons working in offices are sufficiently intelligent to know that there is a body of legislation which protects them, and in my opinion, and in the opinion of many of my hon. Friends, it is unnecessary to have any notices whatever.

Mr. Vosper

When speaking on this issue in Committee, I advised hon. Members that the Bill as drafted would seem to require the posting of notices in every room of a block of offices and that an offence would be committed under the Bill if that were not done. I had in mind a block of offices in which every office was in separate ownership. On further consideration, there is doubt whether the Bill makes that requirement. It could be, even without the Amendment, that if the landlord were so willing, if he himself placed a notice in the hall of the building, that would comply with the requirements of the Bill. Therefore, an Amendment of this nature might not be needed.

I am, however, anxious to give the matter a little further consideration. The Amendment is defective in drafting in several respects. Therefore, while my hon. Friends and I are grateful to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Marsh) for meeting the point, it is possible that no Amendment is necessary. If, however, it is, I would wish to reconsider the words of the Amendment. Therefore, I should like to give the House the assurance that in some way we will meet the point which the hon. Member has conceded to my hon. Friends, but I ask him not to press this precise form of words.

Mr. Marsh

In view of the assurance given by the right hon. Gentleman, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.