§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will introduce 91W legislation to establish further controls over the maximum working hours of young people and of older employees in shops, with particular reference to required meal breaks;
(2) whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Shops Act 1950 so as to reduce substantially the hours during which it is permissible for a young person to be employed in a shop from the present 48-hour maximum in a normal week and from the present 60-hour maximum during any six weeks in the year at times of seasonal or exceptional pressure;
(3) whether he will introduce legislation to establish controls over the maximum hours a person over the age of 18 years can be required to work in a retail shop.
§ Mr. MellorWe have at present no plans for legislation in this area.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to require the hours of working and the times for meal breaks of young persons employed in shops to be displayed in the shop.
§ Mr. MellorWe have no plans for legislation to add to the requirements of section 32 of the Shops Act 1950.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to increase the fines for contravention of the Shops Act 1950 in so far as it relates to the hours of work of young persons.
§ Mr. MellorFrom 11 April 1983, when part III of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 comes into operation, the present maximum penalties for contraventions of part II of the Shops Act 1950 will be increased from their present levels to level 1 in the standard scale (£25).