§ Mr. Denmanasked the Minister of Labour whether he can readily state the extent to which the working hours of young persons permitted in Crown factories are in excess of statutory limits, and those permitted by special emergency Orders to individual private firms exceed the limits prescribed by general Orders?
§ Mr. BevinThere is no difference in principle in this matter between Crown and private factories. In both cases emergency modifications of the normal statutory provisions as to hours of young persons are authorised either by a specific permission for the particular factory under a general Order or by a special Order for the factory. The schemes of working hours and intervals so authorised vary according to the circumstances of the particular factory and cannot readily be compared with the detailed statutory provisions as to normal hours and overtime. They do not necessarily mean longer hours; it is often a matter of authorising a scheme which does not altogether fit in with the statutory provisions or, where a special Order is made, with a scheme for which a permission could have been granted under a general Order.