§ 12 and 13. Mr. DAVID DAVIESasked the Secretary for Mines (1) the causes of the colliery explosions that have taken place in this country during the last 10 years;
(2) the number of separate colliery explosions in this country for the last 10 years to date, and the total number of persons killed?
§ Mr. ISAAC FOOTAs these questions involve a number of figures I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate the answer to them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ During the 10 years 1921 to 1930 there were 136 separate colliery explosions involving loss of life, the total number of deaths being 433. The causes of these explosions were as follow:
| Naked lights | 61 |
| Matches or smoking | 11 |
| Shotfiring | 26 |
| Electricity | 16 |
| Safety Lamps being in defective condition, illegally opened, etc. | 7 |
| Underground fire | 1 |
| Miscellaneous and Unknown | 14 |