MR. FORTESCUE FLANNER (Yorks, Shipley)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state to the House how many signal boxes on the North-Eastern Railway exist in which signalmen are on duty 12 hours consecutively without any relief; and whether the Board of Trade is taking steps, in the interest of the safety of the travelling public, to discourage such long hours of continuous labour in positions where concentrated attention to duty is essential for the safety of passengers.
§ MR. RITCHIEThe Board have not the information asked for in the first paragraph of the question. In cases under the Regulation of Railways Act, 1893, the Board discourage continuous twelve-hour shifts in signal boxes. The amount of work to be done by signalmen 635 varies largely, and the case of nearly every box must be considered on its merits.
§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERYWill the right. hon. Gentleman take any steps to obtain the information referred to in the first paragraph?
§ MR. RITCHIEWe have no power to compel the company to give the information, but if the hon. Member wishes it I will see what can be done.