§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Home Secretary if he can give up-to-date information as to the labour conditions now agreed upon in cinemas licensed for opening on Sundays in Birmingham'?
§ Sir J. GILMOUROn 9th February, the hon. Member asked whether my attention had been called to a suggestion said to have been made by the Birmingham Justices that cinema employés, working outside the Birmingham area for six days in the week could be employed in Birmingham cinemas on the Sunday. As I then promised, I have been in communication with the Birmingham Justices and I am informed that no such suggestion has been made by them. Such a practice would clearly be a violation of the terms of the Act. In addition to the statutory condition designed to prevent a 7-day working week, the Birmingham Justices have imposed a further condition which prohibits the employment of any regular cinema worker on more than one Sunday in any three consecutive Sundays. Some of the smaller exhibitors have found difficulty in complying with this condition, and I understand that the Justices made some suggestion for co-operation both inside and outside the area whereby a satisfactory system of rotation could be arranged. Persons employed on Sundays under any such scheme would of course be subject, not only to the statutory condition against the 7-day week, but also to the additional condition imposed in Birmingham which limits Sunday employment to one Sunday in three.