§ Mr. JOHNasked the Home Secretary if he will define the divisions into which Great Britain and Ireland are divided for purposes of inspection under the Factory Acts, the population of each district, the number of factories and the number of workpeople employed thereat in each such district, and the number, status, and salaries of the inspectors allotted to each district, respectively; and whether inspectors acting in Wales and Monmouthshire are invariably required to be thoroughly conversant with the Welsh language?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe following are the particulars asked for by my hon. Friend:—
Division. Census Population, 1901. Works, 1911. Persons Employed in Factories and Workshops, 1907. Staff. Inspectors. Assistants. Factories. Workshops. Superintending £600—£750. Class 1A. £300—£350. Class 1B. £300—£450. Class £200-£300. Higher Scale. £150—£200. Ordinary Scale. £110—£150. South-Eastern Division 11,120,421 25,491 46,166 995,976 1 4 5 13 3 12 South-Western Division 7,796,708 15,645 25,747 483,679 1 3 5 7 5 2 Midland Division 5,484,775 19,871 24,544 837,500 1 3 8 5 2 7 North-Eastern Division 5,378,503 19,439 17,084 861,182 1 3 6 7 4 3 North-Western Division 5,623,385 18,584 20,014 1,175,898 1 4 7 9 5 2 Northern Division 6,054,929 15,368 19,409 822,874 1 3 6 6 5 1 The particulars of the areas covered by the different divisions would occupy too great space to be given in answer to a question. My hon. Friend will find them set out in full in the Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, of which I will send him a copy. Five out of the seven officers at present stationed in Wales are conversant with the Welsh language. In the selection of candidates for nomination consideration is given to Welsh, and also in filling vacancies, in accordance with the provisions of Section 118, Sub-section (2), of the Act; but my hon. Friend will understand that no inspectors are appointed to the staff solely for service in Wales, and that there must be interchange on promotion with other parts of the country. If this were not so, the prospects of Welsh-speaking inspectors might be prejudiced.