HC Deb 13 June 1939 vol 348 cc1081-2
21. Mr. Day

asked the Secretary for Mines when the last series of pit trials were completed for the use of gas-alarm detectors; and whether any future experiments are to be made or are being made at the present time?

Mr. Lloyd

The last completed series of official pit trials of automatic firedamp detectors was that carried out on the Ring-rose Firedamp Alarms towards the end of 1937 on behalf of the Committee on the Firedamp Detector Regulations; and fresh regulations have since been made, based

shire, and the average weekly output per man, for each of the years 1929 to 1938?

The Secretary for Mines (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd)

With the hon. Member's permission, I will answer these questions in the form of a statistical table which I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information:

on the Committee's recommendations, which require the use of automatic detectors in certain circumstances. A number of other appliances, some of which have received tests underground, are in various stages of development, but none has yet been officially approved.

Mr. Day

Can the Minister say how many remain to be tested?

Mr. Lloyd

I think two.

Mr. T. Smith

Has any progress been made with regard to the automatic detectors?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that is a different question.