§ Mr. FREDERICK ROBERTSasked the Home Secretary if he will state the number of factory inspectors now carrying out their duties; the number who have to perform additional duties owing to the withdrawal of inspectors; the area of the district in which each inspector is engaged; and the number of women now acting as inspectors of factories?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe total number of factory inspectors now actually serving is 169. This includes 35 lady inspectors, of whom 15 hold temporary appointments for the period of the War. Arrangements are made in each division for employing inspectors when necessary outside the areas to which they are ordinarily attached, and in this and other ways the duties of absent inspectors have been distributed among the staff and almost every inspector has been called upon to perform some work outside his ordinary duties. These arrangements are varied locally from time to time as circumstances1304W require, and it would hardly serve any useful purpose to give the precise area in which each inspector is for the time being employed; but if the hon. Member has any particular area in view, I shall be pleased to supply him with the desired information in regard to that area. I may add that inspectors serving in the Army and in other Departments are being recalled, and that the staff will be restored to its full strength as soon as practicable.