§ 4. Mr. T. SMITHasked the Secretary for Mines whether replies have yet been received from the various interested parties, including the inventor, to whom the report on the pit trials of the Ring-rose automatic alarms was submitted for consideration; and, if so, what action has been taken or is proposed to be taken on the matter?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe inventor has circulated in print his comments on the pit trials. I have since discussed with the Miners' Federation and the Deputies' Federation tile general position now reached, and last week, following those discussions, I received resolutions passed by their Executives to the effect that a proportion of the men engaged at the working faces ought to be provided with some approved type of firedamp detector. Both resolutions include in that term the flame safety lamp as well as other types of detector. The resolution of the Miners' Federation asks that such provision shall be made compulsory on a definite scale and that the choice of the detector shall rest with the workmen. The resolution of the Deputies' Federation states that they are not yet agreed among themselves as to the proportion of men to be provided with detectors or as to the places in the mine where detectors ought to be used. I am seeing Mr. Ringrose in a few days. As I have not received any communication from the two other representative bodies concerned, I am asking them to discuss the matter with me; when that has been done I will make a statement as to the action I propose to take to deal with the general problem.
§ Mr. SMITHCan the hon. Gentleman give any indication when he will be in a position to make that statement?
§ Mr. BROWNI cannot say at present, but, if the hon. Gentleman will put down a question in the first stages of the new Session, I hope to be able to make a statement then.