§ 12. Mr. ELLIS DAVIESasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, whilst the death rate from accidents within the mines in the County of Denbigh in 1923 was 1.37 per 1,000, the fatal accidents in side the quarries in the same County were 2.11 in 1922 and 2.53 in 1923; and whether any steps are being taken to protect the workmen by means of new regulations as suggested by the Royal Commission?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Mines that the hon. Members figures relate not to the County of Denbigh but to the Lancashire and North Wales Division of the Mines Inspectorate, which is, of course, a very much larger area. He also tells me that the figures are not quite accurately quoted, and that he will send the hon. Member the full statistics. As regards the second part of the question, most of the recommendations of the Royal Commission have been embodied in Special Rules, which have already been established at 14 of the quarries in the County of Denbigh, and will shortly be established at the others.
§ Mr. DAVIESIs it not a fact that fatal accidents inside the quarries are double the fatal accidents inside the coal mines?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI can only say that I was answering this question as a matter of courtesy for the Secretary for Mines. The question ought to be addressed to him. I will tell my right hon. Friend what the hon. Member has said.