§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prohibition orders under section 2(3)(a) and requirement orders under section 2(3)(b) of the Employment of Children Act 1973 have been served by(a) local education authorities in England and Wales and (b) education authorities in Scotland since the Act became law.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 14 March 1990]: The Employment of Children Act 1973 has not been implemented. In England and Wales, equivalent provisions to sections 2(3)(a) and (b) of the Act are available in section 59 of the Education Act 1944. This enables local education authorities to serve a notice on an employer to prohibit or to impose restrictions on the employment of any child. In addition, section 18 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 provides for local authorities to make byelaws which regulate the employment of children and which prohibit children from being employed in any specified occupation. All local authorities (except Isles of Scilly) have such byelaws.
Figures notified to the Home Office for prosecutions and convictions under sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are as follows:
Prosecutions Convictions 1979 23 18 1980 26 25 1981 24 22 1982 17 16 1983 12 12 1984 12 9 1985 11 9 1986 2 2 1987 8 8 1988 28 22 Matters relating to the employment of children in Scotland are for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.