§ 18. Mr. TINKERasked the Secretary for Mines if he can give the number of fatal accidents that have taken place at the coal face during the last 12 months; how many of them have been where the coal is machine cut and conveyors used; and how many have occurred where the coal is hand got?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI regret that the statistics# asked for are not available, and I am afraid it is not possible to find any reliable basis of comparison between the safety of machine work and of hand work at coal faces.
§ Mr. TINKERWill the hon. Gentleman consider getting this information in 1794 order to find out whether machine-worked coal is causing a greater number of accidents than hand-worked coal?
§ Mr. BROWNThe hon. Member knows that statistics are not drawn up on that basis but in regard to classes of work, and I do not think any relevant comparisons can be made.
§ Mr. T. SMITHDoes not the hon. Gentleman think, in view of the increase of machine-mining, that the time has come when there ought to be a different classification so that proper conclusions can be arrived at?
§ Mr. BROWNThat is a matter of opinion. Of course, there are other factors to be considered as well.