A Legislative Council member has hit out at restrictions imposed on children working.

Updated regulations on children work were approved in Tynwald last week.

But Kate Lord-Brennan said: ’I question whether such comprehensive statutory regulation is necessary to address whatever the concerns and problems are relating to teenagers and working.’

Under the rules, no child under 13 can be employed, while children under 16 may only be employed in ’light work’ as set out by the regulations.

A number of occupations are prohibited for children under 16, including working in nightclubs, serving alcohol, preparing food in a commercial kitchen, door-to-door canvassing, telesales or on a fairground.

The regulations set out some of the categories in which it is acceptable for children aged 13 to 16 to work, including shops, delivering newspapers, office work and domestic work in hotels. Agricultural work is permitted, but only when working for a parent or guardian. Work in cafes and restaurants is permitted, but not in the kitchen.

A maximum of 28 hours’ work per week is allowed with a curfew on school days - and a 10pm cut off on others - and time limits on how many hours can be worked in one day.

Mrs Lord-Brennan described the regulations as ’overly prescriptive’.

’I think the extensive list of where teenagers should and should not work and the various restrictions will give plenty of opportunities to question why did we do that, why have we done this and what is the thinking?’ she added.

’Most employers - and I am thinking high street retail - will not employ those under 16 or 18 anyway, which, to take as an easy example, leaves lots of smaller independent businesses that are perhaps involved in cafés or food or hospitality.’

She urged members to remember how having a job as a teenager made them feel.

’Many young people value the independence and the experience of work.

’I just think that with the sorts of jobs that teenagers might do - working in a café, restaurant, seasonal work, like scooping ice-cream or whatever - they will probably find that the regulations are prohibitive, and I think that employers might question whether it is indeed worth the hassle of giving a chance for a young person.’

regulations

The regulations were brought forward by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

Education Minister Graham Cregeen said: ’I hate to rain on some parades, but if you read the regulations properly these are revoking more restrictive regulations.’

He added: ’My first job, about the age of 13, was working in a bakery, slicing and wrapping bread in an open machine with blades going up and down.

’As a young lad I can remember a shop just up the road from us had a bacon slicing machine - you know the ones with the big weights on - a child lost fingers in it.

’Are we now saying that it is going to be perfectly okay to send children out without any regulations to work wherever they want, whatever hours?’

The minister insisted: ’This is updating and then making it more amenable for businesses. This is actually protecting young people when they go out to work.’

Members voted in favour of the updated regulations. The only MHKs to vote against were Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) and Bill Shimmins (Middle). In Legislative Council, Mrs Lord-Brennan and Tanya August-Hanson voted against.