§ Captain Ryderasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in his consideration of the Report by the Gowers Committee on Health, Welfare and Safety in Non-Industrial Employment.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeThe Government have considered the Report of the Gowers Committee on Health, Welfare and Safety in Non-Industrial Employment and are in sympathy with the general tenor of the Committee's recommendations on this subject. As the Committee themselves recognised, however, implementation of their recommendations would involve considerable demands' on building resources and some increase of local and central inspectorates.
The Government, therefore, do not regard legislation on the lines recommended as practicable so long as present economic difficulties continue. The Government are, however, anxious to prepare the way for legislation, by consultation and discussion with the numerous interested organisations, so that there may be no avoidable delay in introducing it as soon as the economic outlook justifies it; and on this basis they propose shortly to start consultations with the interested organisations.