§ *MR. O'GRADYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether docks, wharves, and quays are registered for the purposes of inspection with reference to safety, and, if so, what means are employed for inspection; whether in view of the fact that the number of docks, wharves, and quays subject to factory inspection under Section 79 of Factory Act are 3,067, and the number of inspectors' visits totalled 2,147 only annually, steps will be taken to ensure an annual minimum number of visits to each place registered under the regulations; whether he will give authority to inspectors and staffto tabulate in classified form accidents aboard ship, quay, shed, or warehouse; whether gears and plants are dealt with by regulations and inspected, and, if so, what steps are taken to ensure periodical inspection; and whether inspectors are experienced men in ship cargo gearing and plant for discharging and loading purposes.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)Yes, docks, wharves, and quays are registered, and are inspected regularly, as part of their general work, by the factory staff. The total number of visits paid to docks other than docks forming part of factories or workshops in 1905 was 4,787, not 2,147 as 1273 stated in the Question. Many of those unvisited in the course of the year would be small canal wharves. As I have stated more than once this session, steps have been taken by me to strengthen the staff with a view to improving still further the inspection at docks. Arrangements have already been made to classify in more detail the accidents at docks. Gear and plant are dealt with by the Home Office regulations which are enforced by the inspectors. The testing and periodical examination of chains and other gear is provided for by the regulations. Special inspectors are not appointed for docks, but the staff is carefully selected with regard to the nature of the duties they will be called upon to perform.
*MR. O'GEADYMay I point out that the figures quoted in the Question are those given by the right hon. Gentleman himself earlier in the session as the probable number of visits, but those did not include the canal wharves, a totally different thing.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI will inquire into that.
§ MR. J. WARD (Stoke-on-Trent)Does the Answer apply to wharves in course of construction, whore, of course, dangerous machinery is employed?
§ MR. GLADSTONEI think so; if not, I will let the hon. Member know.