HL Deb 23 July 1934 vol 93 cc877-8

Clause 2, leave out Clause 2 and insert the following new Clause:—

Power to regulate employment in spells.

("2.—(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that it is necessary to make provision for preventing the hours of employment of young persons from being so divided, into spells as to deprive them of reasonable opportunities for instruction and recreation, he may make regulations directing that, subject to such exceptions and modifications as may be provided by the regulations, the working hours of a young person employed shall (notwithstanding anything in the definition of the expression ' working hours ' contained in this Act) be deemed, for the purposes of this Act, to include the period from the time at which that person first begins on any day to be employed about the business of a shop until the time at which he last ceases on that day to be so employed, exclusive only—

  1. (a) of such intervals, whether for rest or meals or otherwise; and
  2. (b) of time allowed for attendance at such instructional courses,
as may be specified in the regulations.

(2) Any regulations made under this section shall be laid before Parliament as soon as may be after they are made, and if either House of Parliament within the next subsequent twenty-eight days on which that House has sat after any such regulation has been laid before it resolves that the regulation shall be annulled the regulation shall forthwith be void, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder or to the making of a new regulation.")

THE EARL OF FEVERSHAM

My Lords, this is a new clause which is framed to meet certain points raised in Committee in another place. It provides that the Secretary of State may make regulations to prevent the hours of young persons being so divided into spells as to deprive them of reasonable opportunities for instruction and education, and also recreation. This will provide means, if necessary, to prevent any abuses which may arise from employers working their young persons early in the morning and again late at night, by dividing the, employment into two spells with an interval of two or three hours between the spells. It is considered better not to attempt to impose any rigid requirement applicable to all and every shop at the present time. I think your Lordships will agree it is obvious that certain modifications and exceptions will be required to any system of consecutive hours, and this is a matter which can only be decided in the light of experience in the working of the Act. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Earl of Feversham.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.