HC Deb 18 May 1943 vol 389 cc945-6W
Mr. Gallacher

asked the Minister of Labour the number of factories and other places, coming under the Factories Act, 1937, which applied for and received permission to extend the hours of work for young persons by virture of the General and Special Emergency Orders during the years 194o, 1941 and 1942?

Mr. Bevin

This information is not available. The approximate number of premises at which emergency modifications of the provisions of the Factories Act as to hours of women and young persons were in force was, at the end of 1940, 6,500; at the end of 1941, r,000; and at the end of 1942, 19,000. In many of these cases only women over 18 are affected but I cannot give the figure, and the hours authorised are often shorter than could be worked under the ordinary law. Further particulars will be found in the annual reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories.