3. Under the Employment of Children Act 1973 (copy attached), the Secretary of State is empowered to replace the existing local by-laws on the employment of children by national regulations which will introduce standard conditions of employment throghout the country, but because of the lack of resources available to local authorities to implement regulations during the present period of financial restraint the regulations have been deferred and the local by-laws are continuing to operate.
4.
Ferformances by children are a separate issue and are governed by section 37 et seq of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 and the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968. A Home Office pamphlet on the law on performances by children is published by the Stationery Office and I will try to get a copy for you. Generally children have to be licensed by the local education authority to take part in performances and there are detailed restrictions on hours and conditions in relations to the age of the children. I am not enclosing copies of the legislation quoted in this paragraph but can provide them if you wish.
5.
A government sponsored study on the employment of children in the UK was carried out in 1970 by Drw Emrys Davies. No evidence was found of parental pressure on children to find paid employment and it was evident that few children worked so that they might contribute to the family income. Conditions in paid employment some children, of course, help the milkman and help in other jobs for the fun of it were considered by most of the employed children to be satisfactory, although it was found that by-laws were often ignored in the sense that local authorities were not always informed of the employment. This did not necessarily mean that the employment was prohibited by the terms of the by-laws.
6.
The enforcement of the law in this country is a matter for local education authorities.
7.
If any part of this letter is not clear or if you would like further information on any aspect of child employment in this country, please let me know.
c. J Thompson Esq MBE, HAGD
HRG Hurst Overseas Labour Adviser
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