HC Deb 13 June 1918 vol 106 cc2358-9
23. Sir J. BUTCHER

asked the Home Secretary why the Reports of His Majesty's Inspectors of Coal Mines for 1916 contain no particulars of the prosecutions for cruelty to horse sand ponies employed in the mines in that year, and do not give the numbers of the horses and ponies so employed or of those which died or were injured or had to be destroyed; and whether he will instruct the inspectors to give these particulars in their Reports for 1917?

Mr. BRACE

Particulars as to the number and results of all prosecutions for breaches of the statutory provisions as to the care and treatment of animals in mines are given in Part II. of the Chief Inspector's General Report for 1916, pages 93x2013;94; and particulars as to the number of horses used in each division and as to cases of death and injury on page 71 of the same volume. Detailed reference to the more important cases is also made in the Reports of the divisional inspectors.. The same course will be followed in the Reports for 1917.

Sir J. BUTCHER

Are these Reports in the same form as they were in the previous years, 1914 and 1915?

Mr. BRACE

They are not so voluminous as before the War, but I think they are as in 1915.

Sir G. GREENWOOD

How many horse inspectors are there now in all the mines of the United Kingdom?

Mr. BRACE

May I have notice of that?