LORD HAWKEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will suspend the minimum temperature provisions of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act for the duration of the coal strike; and whether they will examine these provisions with a view to seeing if there can be some permanent changes leading to somewhat lower minimum temperatures, thus relieving commerce and industry of overhead charges.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)The answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative. Section 6 of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 requires (a) a reasonable temperature in all rooms when persons are employed, and (b) a minimum temperature of 16° C. (60.8°ss F.) after the first hour in rooms where a substantial proportion of the work does not involve severe physical effort.
The minimum standards of temperature are not required in office rooms used by the public where their maintenance is not reasonably practicable; or in rooms in shop or railway premises where their maintenance is not reasonably practicable or would cause deterioration of goods. In these cases, employees must have convenient access to means of warming themselves and the employer must afford them reasonable opportunities to do so.
Any permanent modifications to occupational safety and health legislation must await the report of the Robens Committee on Safety and Health at Work.