HC Deb 19 February 1968 vol 759 cc12-3
12 and 13. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Minister of Labour (1) when he expects the National Joint Advisory Council's Report on the Factories Act, as it applies to women workers, to be completed and available for publication;

(2) what proposals he intends to put before Parliament to remove legal restrictions on the working hours of women employed in factories.

Mr. Gunter

The Working Party appointed by my National Joint Advisory Council to examine the relevance to modern conditions of Part VI of the Factories Act, 1961 and associated legislation has completed its work and its report should be ready for submission to the meeting of the National Joint Advisory Council in April. I cannot say what proposals will be put forward regarding the restrictions on the working hours of women employed in factories until the Council has considered the Working Party's report.

Mrs. Renée Short

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply and I hope that we shall have an opportunity to debate the restrictions at an early date. Will he give an undertaking that equal pay will be a prerequisite in the removal of existing restrictions which hedge round women's employment?

Mr. Gunter

I am very sorry, but I could not.