§ 19. Sir A. Wilsonasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the accident which occurred on 7th May at the offices of a life assurance company in London, when a woman fell 30 feet down an unprotected lift shaft; and whether he proposes to take powers to make safety appliances such as are now available compulsory in offices to which the public have access?
§ Sir J. SimonI have received a report on this accident from which it appears that the lift in question is fitted with interlocking gates. The accident appears to have been due to some failure of the interlocking mechanism, but this had been inspected only ten days before the accident occurred and was found to be working properly immediately afterwards. As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, the safety of lifts on premises outside the scope of the Factory Acts has been the subject of special inquiries by my Department, but I regret I cannot hold out any prospect at present of Government legislation on that point.