HC Deb 06 December 1949 vol 470 cc1685-6
9. Mr. Malcolm MacPherson

asked the Minister of Labour what correlation there is between the accident rate and working conditions in iron and steel foundries.

Mr. Isaacs

Although it is reasonable to suppose that, in iron and steel foundries as elsewhere, the accident rate is affected by working conditions, I know of no data on which a precise correlation could be based.

Mr. MacPherson

Has my right hon. Friend considered the advisability of asking his factory inspectors to investigate this for the purpose of finding out whether such data is available?

Mr. Isaacs

My hon. Friend will get a copy of the factory inspectors' report which will shortly be issued, and he will see that they have done a tremendous amount of work in this field in the last few months.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean by that answer that the employers in those factories are, in fact, making a substantial effort to improve conditions?

Mr. Isaacs

Most decidedly.