HC Deb 19 May 1944 vol 400 c442W
Sir R. Gower

asked the Minister of Labour in view of the equal pay movement, what forms of industry, if any, are at present barred to women.

Mr. E. Bevin

It is not possible to compile a list of all the forms of industry from which women are debarred by custom or practice or for reasons of physical capacity, but there are some specially dangerous or unhealthy kinds of work, for example some lead processes, in which their employment is prohibited under the Factory Acts and they may not be employed underground in mines or in certain heavy work on the surface at mines and quarries.