§ 35. Mr. SHORTasked the Secretary for Mines the number of cases of miners' nystagmus during 1925 and 1926, respectively; whether the incidence of this disease is still heavy; and what action, if any, does he propose to take?
§ Colonel LANE FOXIn 1925 the number of new cases in which compensation was paid was 3,444 and the number continued from previous years was 7,890. The figures for 1926 are not yet available. The Mining Association and the Miners' Federation have been invited to cooperate with the Home Office to give effect to the recommendation of the Nvstagmus Committee, and continual effort are being made to improve lighting in mines.
§ 43. Mr. W. PALINGasked the Secretary for Mines how many cases of miner's nystagmus have been reported during each of the last seven years; and whether he has any means of ascertaining how many of such cases have occurred at pits where the method of illumination is by oil lamps and by electric lamps, respectively?
§ Colonel LANE FOXAs the information required by the hon. Member involves a series of figures, I propose, with his permission, to circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the second part of the question, the information could not be obtained without returns from every colliery, which would be very laborious both to prepare and to collate; and in view of the number and diversity of the factors contrbuting to the incidence of nystagmus, the results would not warrant the expenditure of this amount of labour.
§ Following are the figures promised:
§ The statistics of workmen's compensation are as follows:
| Cases continued from the previous | ||
| New Cases. | year. | |
| 1919 | 2,718 | 3,731 |
| 1920 | 2,865 | 4,163 |
| 1921 | 1,913 | 4,804 |
| 1922 | 4,092 | 5,063 |
| 1923 | 3,872 | 7,270 |
| 1924 | 3,271 | 7,635 |
| 1925 | 3,444 | 7,890 |
§ The figures for 1926 are not yet available.