Viscountess Astorasked the Home Secretary what reports he has received on the hours and conditions of child employment on the land in the Holland Division of Lincolnshire since the beginning of the war; and can all such reports be placed in the Library of the House?
§ Mr. PeakeThe responsibility for enforcing the law relating to the employment of children rests with local authorities, but in view of the help which older school children have been giving with the harvest during the war local representatives of the Board of Education and Ministry of Agriculture have been watching the manner in which the conditions governing such employment are observed, so as to assist local authorities with suggestions for improving the position where necessary. As the relevant reports are confidential, I could not place them in the Library, but I may say that they show that the conditions are less well observed in the Parts of Holland than in other counties and the position is being kept under observation.