HC Deb 10 July 1896 vol 42 cc1221-2
MR. FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Yorkshire, Shipley)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the recent largo number of deaths from anthrax occurring in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Return showing the number of deaths from this cause since 1st January 1895; whether he is aware that there is a code of regulations agreed upon by most of the employers of the woolsorters and the workmen themselves as necessary for the protection of the workmen; and that the provisions of this code are practically carried out by the majority of the employers in the arrangement of their sorting rooms; and, whether the Home Office will consider the advisability of forthwith declaring woolsorting a dangerous occupation, thus giving local inspectors power to take action where the proper recognised precautions are not observed?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, Blackpool

Three deaths from anthrax were recorded in the West Riding during 1895, and three more in the same district have come to my knowledge already during the present year. The conditions of work in those industries in which anthrax principally occurs have been under the consideration of one of the Committees on Dangerous Trades now-sitting, and on a recommendation, which they have made to me in view of the recent latal cases, I propose to certify the process of woolsorting as dangerous under Section 8 of the Act of 1891, and to take immediate steps to establish special rules, which will follow with some modifications the voluntary rules to which the hon. Member refers and which are already carried out by the majority of employers.

MR. FLANNERY

asked how soon this modification of the law would take effect?

SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY

replied as soon as he could get the rules made.