§ Sir RICHARD COOPERasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the case of Florence Palmer, a shop assistant, aged twenty-one, who was this week brought, before the Lichfield magistrates for theft; is he aware that her maximum weekly wage was 5s., her hours being eleven and a half per day, and that her employer made deductions which sometimes reduced her net earnings to 1s. 6d. a week, upon which she had to board, lodge, and dress; and does he propose to introduce a Bill this Session to remove such conditions of employment; if not, would he secure facilities for a private Member's Bill dealing with this state of affairs?
§ Mr. BURNSI have no information with regard to the particular case to which the hon. Member refers, and I would remind him that the Truck Acts, which deal with deductions from earnings, are administered by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. I am afraid that I cannot hold out any prospect of legislation this Session to deal with the conditions of employment of shop assistants.