§ 81. Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to rescue brigades under the Coal Mines Act, whether the men in these brigades are entitled to any pay apart from the allowance made for loss of work time for actual drills; whether they receive any retaining fee for holding themselves at call; whether they receive, like firemen or lifeboatmen, any annual allowance for the risky nature of the work they are undertaking; and, if not, will he say why no such allowance is given?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe remuneration of the men who volunteer to become members of these brigades is a matter of arrangement in each case between the mineowners whose duty it is to maintain the brigades and the men themselves, and I have no information on the subject.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIf the men did not volunteer, would it not be the duty of the mineowners under the Act to provide the men for the purpose?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not think any difficulty has arisen of the kind my hon. Friend suggests.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIf it did arise, would it not be incumbent on the mine-owners to provide men under the Act?
§ Mr. McKENNAI would rather not answer that question until it does arise.