Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to repeal section 1 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 1920 in so far as that provision applies to voluntary work by persons under the age of 16 engaged in heritage railways, canal charities and similar undertakings.

The Government has no current plans to repeal this legislation, but we are keeping the legislation under review. We appreciate the valuable work done by the organisations mentioned, and understand that young people may benefit from volunteering, but it is important that young people in employment, whether volunteers or paid employees, work safely in suitable environments.