The Seats for Shop Assistants Act 1899 is a piece of legislation produced by the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

that attempted to combat the practice of retail employers expecting their female employees to stand for long periods (at the time a typical working day could be longer than twelve hours) by providing at least one seat for every three female employees. The act also prescribed a fine for not complying of up to three pounds for a first offence, and a fine between one and five pounds for a second offence. The "Seats for Shop Assistants (Scotland) Bill" was drafted by the Glasgow Council for Women's Trades, and introduced as a

private member's bill A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...

by MP

John McAusland Denny Colonel John McAusland Denny (29 November 1858 – 9 December 1922) was a Scottish businessman and Conservative Party politician. Denny was born in Helenslee, Dumbarton, one of eight sons of Dr. Peter Denny. His grandfather William Denny fo ...

, first read in the House of Commons on 21 February 1899 and had its second reading on 12 April where it was debated. The bill was amended over the next two weeks and had its first reading in the House of Lords on 27 April, but at the second reading in the Lords on 4 May it was opposed by

Alexander Shand, 1st Baron Shand Alexander Burns Shand, 1st Baron Shand PC (13 December 1828 – 6 March 1904), was a Scottish advocate and judge. He was a Lord of Session between 1872 and 1890 and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary between 1892 and his death in 1904. Background and ...

and Prime Minister

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for a total of over thirteen y ...

and the bill was dropped. However earlier that week a similar bill had been introduced into the House of Commons by MP

John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, 4th Baronet, (30 April 183428 May 1913), known as Sir John Lubbock, 4th Baronet from 1865 until 1900, was an English banker, Liberal politician, philanthropist, scientist and polymath. Lubbock worked in his fam ...

that would apply to England and Wales. During the committee stage MP

Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet (14 March 1832 – 14 January 1907) was a British soldier, Conservative politician and colonial administrator. Background and education Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Fergusson was the eldest son of Sir Charles ...

proposed that the bill be amended to also cover Scotland. The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 11 July where it was moved by

Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster, (13 October 1825 – 22 December 1899), styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845, Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869, and known as The Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an ...

and debated extensively. Lord Shand and the Prime Minister again argued against it, however, the second reading was put to a vote and almost three-quarters of the Lords voted in favour. This act was repealed by the Shops Act 1911 which incorporated an updated version of the text, that still required a seat for every three employees, and still prescribed the same level of fines.

References

{{reflist Health and safety in the United Kingdom Occupational safety and health law Right to sit United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1899 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

See also

References