§ 13. Sir A. Wilsonasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the continued high number of accidents to adolescents and others in charge of or in connection with the repair of lifts; and what progress has been made by his Department in investigating the best manner of dealing with this matter?
§ Sir S. HoareAs my hon. Friend is aware, as far as factory premises are concerned, the law on this subject was considerably strengthened by the Factories Act of this year. I presume, however, that he is referring to accidents on non-factory premises. There are no statistics available to show whether such accidents are increasing or decreasing, and, while no doubt a number of these accidents occur to adolescents, my information does not bear out the suggestion which has 2136 been made that these form the majority. Whatever the actual figure may be, I fully sympathise with the desire to reduce it. It will be appreciated that the compulsory safeguarding or expert supervision of such lifts would require legislation, and I am not in a position at present to say more than that I have not lost sight of the prospect of legislation on this subject.
§ Sir A. WilsonIf I sent my right hon. Friend 200 cuttings dealing with these accidents all over England, showing the completely inadequate nature of the investigation made at the present moment by coroners' courts, will he be so good as to reconsider the matter in the light of the accumulating evidence of these lifts in non-factory premises, which are becoming an increasing danger?
§ Sir S. HoareI should be very glad to have the information, which I would certainly study, and then communicate further with my hon. Friend.