§ 74. Mr. G. MACDONALDasked the Secretary for Mines the number of cases reported of overtime being worked in the coal mines of Great Britain; whether any of the said cases have resulted in legal proceedings; and, if so, in how many cases and with what result?
§ Mr. TURNERI cannot give any useful figure of the number of reports of overtime working which have been received. Any complaints on this subject are normally made to the divisional inspector and not to my Department in London. A distinction moreover would have to be made between cases in which the overtime appeared to be allowed by the terms of the Coal Mines Regulation Act, 1908, and those in which it did not. During the present year legal proceedings have been taken in one case and a conviction obtained but an appeal has been entered. In six other cases, two in Scotland, and four in England, the question of taking proceedings has been referred to the competent legal authorities for examination.
§ Mr. TINKERHas my hon. Friend's attention been drawn to the report of a fatal accident in a Sunderland colliery where the men concerned had been working an hour after the legal time?
§ Mr. TURNERI shall be very glad to give an answer if that question is put upon the Paper.