HC Deb 16 May 1995 vol 260 c168W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she proposes for local authorities to cope with the problem of child labour. [24031]

Mr. Bowis

Local authorities have sufficient powers under existing legislation to deal with any instances of illegal employment of children that may occur.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives arising from the UN Year of the Child and the UN Year of the Family have been instituted to deal with the issue of child labour. [24032]

Mr. Bowis

I am aware of no initiatives in the United Kingdom on child labour arising from either of these years.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources are available to reduce the use of child labour; and what resources were made available in each of the last five years. [24034]

Mr. Bowis

It is for local authorities to devote resources to this activity as they think necessary.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made by her Department of the numbers of children currently illegally working; what assessment her Department has made of the extent of child labour for each of the last five years; and what comparable information she has about other European countries. [24030]

Mr. Bowis

I am not aware of any significant evidence that the illegal employment of children is a widespread problem. We have no information about the situation in other European countries.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion on child labour took place at the recent UN conference on poverty in Copenhagen; and what contribution the Government made in this regard. [24033]

Miss Widdecombe

I have been asked to reply.

The world summit for the social development identified family poverty as a main cause of child labour. The Government demonstrated their commitment to international action in this area by endorsing recommendations to ensure the protection of working children and to promote the elimination of child labour.