HC Deb 19 December 1906 vol 167 cc1496-7
MR. MORTON (Sutherland)

To ask the Lord Advocate whether the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry Act, 1906, is now in operation; and, if so, whether he has any official Reports showing that it is rendering the Act of 1895 effective and useful.

(Answered by Mr. Thomas Shaw.) The Act came into operation on the 4th of August last. During the four months up to 3rd December, 155 inquiries were held, and in twenty-four of these the verdicts of the juries contained recommendations or expressions of opinion of a special nature. In every case where a jury made a recommendation with the view of suggesting means for preventing or lessening the risk of the recurrence of such accidents the recommendation has been brought under the notice of the deceased's employers. In some cases special notice has been taken by the Government inspectors, and, it is understood, communicated by them to their departments. In many cases the special verdicts appear to have been of much value in pointing out defects in machinery and in methods of working, and there seems little reason to doubt that the Act is tending strongly towards the avoidance of risk of injurious or fatal accidents to employees. There have been four inquiries under Section 3 of the new Act. It is reported to me by the Crown Office that the recent statute appears to have made an effective and useful amendment of the previous Act of 1895. I may add that I am in communication with my right hon. friend the Home Secretary on the subject of issuing such instructions as will secure that in the administration of the statute due advantage shall be taken of the services of the skilled inspectors, while on the other hand preserving the independent position which these gentlemen ought in my opinion to occupy. The working of the Act is being made the subject of careful observation in my own and other public departments.