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26 PUBLIC CONTROL MEASURES
The Shops Acts and Licensing Section of the Inspectorate
deals with a wide variety of public control and licensing
measures. Some of these have close associations with
the health aspect of the general work of the Division.
Shops Acts 1950 - 1965
Young Persons (Employment) Act 1938
Children and Young Persons Act 1933
These Acts are mainly concerned with the closing hours
of shops in the evenings, on Sundays and on earlyclosing
days; intervals for meals; conditions and hours
of employment of young persons in wholesale and retail
trades, hotels, transport undertakings and other employments;
also adults employed in retail shops on Sundays.
Routine inspections of all premises covered by the Acts
were carried out. A total of 3,690 visits were made by
the Inspectors during the year and 910 infringements were
dealt with by informal action. There were 33 prosecutions
-23 for Sunday trading offences. 4 for offences against
evening closing hours and 6 for early closing day
offences. Fines totaIling £187 were imposed with £76
costs.
Visits under these Acts were combined with those made
under the Offices, Shops & Railways Premises Act and
other Acts.
Consumer Protection Acts 1961 and 1971
Under this Act the Secretary of State is empowered to
make regulations imposing requirements in respect of
any class of goods to prevent or reduce risk of death or
personal injury. Regulations have been made in respect
of heating appliances (fireguards), oil heaters, nightdresses.
stands for carry-cots, toys, and the colour
coding of mains leads attached to domestic electrical
appliances. The Regulations impose amongst other things
requirements for construction and testing.
Routine inspections were carried out at all retail outlets.
including secondhand shops and certain articles were
purchased for testing. In addition, two markets in the
Borough were visited weekly, also the majorit, of jumble
sales. As a result 124 unsatisfactory heating appliances
were destroyed.
The Toys (Safety) Regulations prohibit the use of
celluloid in toys and prescribe the proportion of metallic
poisons which may be used in any paint applied to toys.
During the year 25 toys were sent for analysis, and it
was found in three cases that the prescribed proportion
of lead was exceeded. The paint on two imported toy
tomahawks had an excessive lead content but legal
proceedings were not taken as the firms concerned with
distribution of these toys had gone out of business.
In an endeavour to prevent the sale of unsuitable toys,
distributors in the Borough were asked to submit for
analysis any suspect toys which they have in stock
before they sell them, and Inspectors checked the
warehouse stocks regularly. As a result a brush and comb
set from Yugoslavia was found to contain paint having a
high lead content and this consignment was destroyed
by the wholesaler.
During the year 1,123 inspections were made under the
various Regulations.
Late Night Refreshments Houses Act 1969 and The
Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1968
Part VIII - Night Cafes
The Council has adopted Part Vll lof the Greater London
Council (General Powers) Act 1968 for the registration of
premises as Night Cafes which are open after 11 pm. and
issues licences under the Late Night Refreshment Houses
Act for those premises wishing to remain open for refreshments
between the hours of 10 pm and 11 pm. Four
premises are registered as Night Cafes and 28 are
licensed as late night refreshment houses. Night inspections
were made during the year and there was one
prosecution for failure to have a licence. A fine of £10
with £5 costs was imposed. During the year 233
inspections were made and 14 cautions given for
infringements of these Acts.
Pharmacy & Poisons Act 1933
This Act permits persons other than pharmacists to have
their names entered on the Council's list permitting them
to sell poisons listed in Part II of the Poisons List.
These poisons are commonly found in household use such
as ammonia, disinfectants containing phenols, horticultural
and gardening preparations, hair preparations and
photographic materials. There are 180 premises entered
on the list and there were 391 inspections of these
premises during the year. 31 cautions were given for
infringements of the Act.
Middlesex County Council Act 1956 - Part V
Street Trading
There are 29 designated street trading sites for which
licences are granted for the sale of fruit and vegetables,
refreshments, flowers and newspapers. The Street
Trading Inspector supervises the use of these sites and
deals with unauthorised street trading. 4,807 inspections
were made during the year and 66 cautions were given.
There were 35 prosecutions and fines totalling £900
with costs of £150 were imposed. Income from the
licensing of street trading sites during the year amounted
to £2,334.