Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act

HC Deb 20 January 1964 vol 687 cc685-8

4. Mr. Prentice

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards implementing the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, with particular reference to the date of operation; what steps are being taken to recruit a central inspectorate; what advice has been given to local authorities on their duties under the Act; and what regulations have been prepared laying down detailed standards.

22. Mr. Marsh

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the implementation of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act; how many additional inspectors he intends to recruit; and how many have so far been recruited.

The Minister of Labour (Mr. J. B. Godber)

As I informed the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Hirst) on 19th December, I intend to bring most of the provisions of the Act into operation on 1st August, 1964. Certain administrative provisions, including the registration of premisesunder Section 49, will be brought into operation on 1st May, 1964. The Factory Inspectorate is being strengthened to meet the direct enforcement responsibilities falling on them. The required increase cannot be precisely calculated at this stage, but arrangements have been made to recruit initially 20–30 additional inspectors. I am also appointing a number of senior factory inspectors to undertake duties under Section 57 of the Act.

Consultations with local authority associations are making good progress. Circulars giving guidance to local and fire authorities on the administration of the Act will be issued shortly.

As regards the preparation of orders and regulations, I would refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, North-West (Sir B. Janner) on 25th November. Since that date, drafts of an order and regulations concerning first aid and of regulations concerning the certification of premises as to means of escape in case of fire have been circulated for comment.

Mr. Prentice

While thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he can say if the number of inspectors that he announced is meant to be the beginning of a much larger recruitment, bearing in mind that there are about 8 million workers affected by the provisions of this Act and that the whole crux of its success is the standard of enforcement? Secondly, can he give more detail of what will come into effect and what will have to wait longer? Having waited 15 years since the publication of the Gowers Report, people interested in this subject, in the unions and the public generally, do not want much further delay before the important provisions come into effect.

Mr. Godber

As to the first part of that supplementary question relating to the number of inspectors, we shall have to see how we get along. I should think that the number that I have authorised at the moment should carry us forward for a substantial time. If it is necessary to take further action we shall do so. The hon. Gentleman will, of course, be aware that a lot of the enforcement duties will rest with local authorities rather than directly with my Ministry.

With regard to the other part of the supplementary question, as I have indicated in a previous reply, the bulk of the provisions will come into force from 1st August. This was really in our minds and is what my predecessor forecast at the time the Bill was passed.

Mr. Marsh

The right hon. Gentleman has told us how many inspectors he hopes to get. Can he tell us how many he has so far got for this purpose? On what basis does he come to the conclusion that the co-ordination of a large number of local authorities can be carried out by only 20 additional inspectors in the central inspectorate when the Factory Inspectorate is already very much over-stretched?

Mr. Godber

Since 31st July when the Act was passed, 30 new inspectors have taken up post. However, there has been a wastage of 11, which leaves a net increase of 19.

Dame Irene Ward

In view of the fact that in recent years there has been some difficulty in recruiting factory inspectors, is my right hon. Friend really satisfied that we shall be able to recruit the right type of men and women? Could he say whether the Inspectorate now considers that its salaries and conditions of service are adequate to meet the situation and to attract the right type of men and women to this important service?

Mr. Godber

I doubt whether any section of the community is satisfied that its salary is sufficient. However, I think we shall get satisfactory numbers coming forward, and the number I indi- cated of the new intake of inspectors is not unsatisfactory. We shall have to see how we get along.