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45
During the year 297 visits were made to outworkers' premises. No contraventions
of the Factories Acts were reported.
workplaces not covered by Factories Act; Shops, Offices etc.
In January 1946, the Cowers Committee was set up with the following terms
of reference:-
(i) To enquire into the provisions of the Slops Acts relating to closing
hours (general or local) and to report as soon as possible whether
any alterations are desirable.
(ii) To enquire into and make recommendations as to extending strengthening
or modifying:-
(a) The statutory provisions relating to the health, welfare and
safety of employed persons at places of employment other than
those regulated under the Factories or Mines and Quarries Acts,
and
(b) The statutory regulation of hours of employment of young
persons.
(iii) To enquire into and make recommendations as the machinery for enforcing
statutory provisions within the scope of (i) and (ii) above.
An interim report relating to closing hours of shops was submitted in
1947, followed in March 1949 by a full report on Health, Welfare and Safety in
Non-Industrial Employment. This report not only suggested extending existing
control over shops but also the inclusion of similar measures for other nonindustrial
premises, such as offices and theatres.
Early in 1953 the Home Office forwarded draft proposals for legislation
based on the recommendations of the Gowers Committee to organisations which
gave evidence before that conmittee.
The proposals indicate the type and nature of the work-places to be
covered and that the local authority to enforce the legislation (elsewhere
than in the County of London) be "as respects a borough, urban district or
rural district, the council of the borough or district".
The suggested legislation would place a duty to appoint suitable Shops
Act Inspectors and give the Secretary of State power to make regulations prescribing
qualifications to be held by inspectors.
The proposals are far reaching and merit very careful study, but the
possibility of early action along these lines appears remote.
Nevertheless it was thought advisable to carry out locally a preliminary
survey of shops within the borough and the following report was submitted to
the Health and Housing Committee of the Council.