HC Deb 08 June 1910 vol 17 cc886-7W
Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what change, if any, has been made in the powers and duties of assistant inspectors of factories; whether they are still forbidden to enter factories, even for the purpose of checking overtime and other forms of illegal employment; whether the position of these officers, which the Home Secretary stated to the House on 1st August, 1906, could not be maintained, still remains unaltered; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The changes which have been made in the position and duties of the inspectors' assistants were announced by my predecessor in his reply to a question of the hon. Member on 18th February, 1907. Those arrangements are still in force. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have given to his other question.

Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

asked the Home Secretary whether the new duties stated to the House on 18th July, 1907, as having been allocated to some of the assistant inspectors of factories, have been satisfactorily performed; and whether he contemplates any extension of these duties in the direction of routine inspection of factories?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The chief inspector informs me that the more responsible duties entrusted to the higher grade of assistants have on the whole been performed satisfactorily, and that in particular some good work has been done in connection with dock inspection. In addition to the special duties referred to by my predecessor, when explaining the arrangements made by him in this matter to the House, these assistants can be usefully employed, when inspecting workshops in rural or outlying districts, to inspect factories for detection of employment during illegal hours or on holidays, and it is proposed to use them more extensively than hitherto in this way. No other modifications of the present arrangements are in contemplation. The duty for which the class of assistants was primarily established is the inspection of workshops, and these additional duties can only be given to them so far as is possible without sacrifice of the thorough inspection of workshops.