BELL (Derby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents, respectively, which occurred to railwaymen engaged in coupling or uncoupling operations during the year 1905.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGESo far as can be stated at present, there were, during 1905, twelve fatal and 523 non-fatal accidents to railway servants while engaged in coupling or uncoupling operations. These figures may be subject to some slight alterations before the Returns are published, but are substantially correct.
§ MR. H. J. TENNANTAre any experiments being made with regard to automatic couplings and what progress has been made?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEYes; the matter is being gone into at the present moment.