§ 39. Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the appointment by the miners employed in the Bwllfa Colliery, Aberdare, of Edwin Stonelake as workmen's inspector under the terms of Section 16 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, and of the refusal of the mine manager to recognise the appointment on the plea, inter alia, that it is not competent for the persons employed in a mine to make such an appointment a permanency, but that a fresh appointment must be made on the occasion of each inspection; whether the monthly inspection provided for in the Clause or the inspection following an accident; and what action he proposes to take to secure the enforcement of the Act?
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, Sir, this case has been brought to my notice and, acting on my instructions, the Inspector of Mines. has informed the owners of the mine that in the view of the Home Office the Act does not require a fresh appointment to be made on the occasion of each inspection. I should perhaps add that the Act requires two persons to be appointed to make an inspection under Section 16. It does not give power to appoint a single person only.
§ 42. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Home Secretary what provision in the way of rescue and ambulance appliances had been made at the Carron Company's No. 15 pit, at Cadder, Lanarkshire, at the time of the recent disaster, in fulfilment of the terms of Section 85 of the Coal Mines Act of 1911, and of the regulations issued as relative thereto; whether any rescue appliances, provided by the company, were available for immediate use by the local rescue parties; and whether the requisitioning of the Cowdenbeath rescue waggon and apparatus was rendered necessary by the absence of proper rescue apparatus at the pithead?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe General Regulations under Section 85 are not yet in force. but I regret to say that nothing had been done at this mine to provide portable breathing apparatus, as required by the Order made under the Mines Accidents (Rescue and Aid) Act. As I stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend, it is contended by a large section of the Scottish mine owners that smoke helmets supplied with fresh air by means of a tube and bellows are a compliance with the Order, a view which the Home Office are unable to accept, and the steps for bringing the matter to a speedy issue are now in hand.
§ Mr. DUNCAN MILLARWill the right lion. Gentleman take means to bring home to the mine owners their responsibility for the absence of such appliances in connection with this disaster?
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, that is what I intended to convey by the words, "steps for bringing the matter to a speedy issue are now in hand."