Mr. David Adamsasked the Home Secretary how many exemption orders, dispensing with provisions of the Factories Act, 1937, have been issued since the outbreak of war; how many he has confirmed; whether any such orders have been acted upon without his confirmation; in which industries such exemption orders 250W have been made; and how many of such orders relate to the working hours of young persons, to overcrowding in factories, and to the work of women, respectively?
§ Sir J. AndersonI would refer the hon. Member to the statement on this subject which I circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT in reply to Questions on 7th December. The full report to which I referred in that statement is being prepared, and I hope to issue it in the early part of next month. The total number of orders made since the outbreak of war is about 3,000, but this figure includes orders valid for short periods which have expired or been superseded by fresh orders, so that the number of orders now in operation is much smaller. No exemption has been granted from the requirements of the Factories Act relating to overcrowding. All such orders are made by the Secretary of State, and they do not require confirmation.