§ Mr. MALONEasked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received the 1785W report on the conditions of employment in the boot industry in the East End of London, prepared by Dr. A. D. Denning for the Boot Manufacturers' Federation and the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. CLYNESYes, Sir. I have now received and perused this report. I find that it draws a most unfavourable picture of the conditions under which this industry is carried on in the East End of London, but that, so far as concerns matters within the purview of my Department, the conclusions appear to be based not on facts ascertained by personal observation of the conditions at the works concerned but almost entirely on impressions derived from unverifiedex parte statements. I understand that though Dr. Denning was offered facilities by the Factory Department for the purposes of his investigation, he has never discussed the position with the Department and the Chief Inspector informs me, after consulting the whole of the staff in the districts concerned, that they are unanimously of opinion that the report gives a very exaggerated account. I find also that the report contains statements conveying serious reflexions not only on the competency of the factory inspectors, but also on their attention to duty and even on their honesty—as, for example, that the inspectors have favoured Jewish as against British employers, and that they are open to accept bribes. These allegations, which, unless supported by detailed and reliable evidence, ought never to have been put forward, are strongly repudiated by the staff, and I cannot but express my surprise and regret that a report containing such allegations and compiled on the basis I have indicated should have obtained currency before any attempt had been made to subject the accuracy of the statements it contains to an independent test. I understand that the report has now been considered jointly by the Federation of Boot Manufacturers and the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives, and that a committee has been appointed to consider what steps should be taken. The Chief Inspector informs me that he has been invited, and has agreed, to attend a meeting of this committee, and I propose to await the result of that meeting 1786W before considering what action, if any, it behoves me to take.