48. Lieut.-Colonel Sir ARNOLD WILSONasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the steady increase of fatal and other accidents, especially to juveniles, in connection with electric lifts in non-factory premises, and of the fact that such accidents are not reportable and unless fatal are the subject of no inquiry, he will invite the Lift Makers' Association to confer with his department with a view to the production of a standard specification with the highest possible factor of safety to which all existing passenger lifts must conform within a stated period?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI understand that a committee has been set up by the British Standards Institution, in consultation with lift makers and others, to prepare standard specifications, but that the modernisation of all existing lifts would be a difficult and very costly matter. I am exploring the situation and shall be communicating with the Lift Makers' Association.
§ Mr. THORNEIn consequence of the numerous accidents in connection with these private lifts, cannot the right hon. Gentleman find some power or authority to be given either to the factory inspectors or to the local inspectors for the purpose of examining these lifts?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI have said that I am exploring the situation, and I cannot say more.