§ Sir CHARLES DILKEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in connection with legislative proposals dealing with uncontentious Amendments of the Factory Act, he will consider the desirability of acting upon recommendations contained in Sir Ernest Hatch's Report as to check-weighing in women's trades paid by weight?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIn the check-weighing in Various Industries Bill, which was introduced by my predecessor last Session, it was proposed to empower the Secretary of State to provide for check-weighing in any industry in which workers are paid by weight. I am now considering the question of reintroducing this Bill.
§ Sir CHARLES DILKEasked the Home Secretary, in view of Sir Ernest Hatch's recommendation as to the generalisation of particulars, and his comments on the anomalous character of orders covering certain classes of work but omitting others of precisely the same kind carried on in an adjoining or even in the same room, what steps are being taken towards further extensions under Section 116, Sub-section 5, of the Factory and Workshop Act?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAs my right hon. Friend is aware, a very large part of the ground has been covered by the Orders already made. Other industries which have been the subject of inquiry, but which cannot be dealt with satisfactorily without some provision for checkweighing, are waiting until the further powers proposed in the Checkweighing Bill have been obtained. Others, again, are under investigation, or will be taken up as the time of the staff permits. I may perhaps add that what Sir Ernest Hatch said was that similar, not the same, kinds of work were outside. This is a difficulty which cannot always be avoided in proceeding from one class of work to another by order in the manner prescribed by the Act.