§ 43. Mr. PIKEasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has now any further statement to make respecting the use in coal mines of automatic gas alarms; and whether any decision has been made regarding the compulsory use of a minimum number of these appliances in British coal mines?
§ 66. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has yet interviewed representatives of the Mining Association, Miners' Federation, National Association of Colliery Managers, and the Deputies' Association on the question of gas alarms; and has he any statement to make on the subject?
§ Mr. ISAAC FOOTMeetings have been held for discussion of this difficult problem with representatives of each of the four associations named in the second question. There are still substantial differences of opinion, but I have been asked to carry the discussions further, and I believe it will serve a useful purpose to do so. In the meantime, I am not able to make any further statement.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIn view of the frequency of these explosions, all due more or less to fire damp, either by accumulation or otherwise, will the hon. Gentleman try to expedite this inquiry?
§ Mr. FOOTI do not know of any recent explosion that can be said to be associated with the subject raised by this question, but I regard the matter 652 as being important, and every step will be taken to secure expeditious inquiry.
§ Mr. D. GRENFELLDoes not the hoe. Gentleman admit that all recent explosions are due to the non-discovery of inflammable gas, and that the use of the automatic gas alarms might have discovered it?
§ Mr. FOOTI have made express inquiries, and I am told that no recent explosion is one which can be attributed to the absence of automatic gas detectors.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs it not the case that in all the reports of His Majesty's Chief Inspector following recent explosions the information is that the explosions occurred because of accumulations of fire damp, which some use of automatic alarms may have discovered?