HC Deb 30 June 1954 vol 529 cc1391-2

(1) It shall be the duty of the manager of every mine to secure the provision thereat of adequate facilities and equipment for the purpose of rendering first-aid to persons employed at the mine who, while so employed, suffer bodily injury or become ill.

(2) Regulations may—

  1. (a) determine for mines of any class what are adequate facilities and equipment for the purposes of the foregoing subsection;
  2. (b) require the attendance at mines during working hours of persons trained in first-aid treatment and the making and carrying out at mines—
    1. (i) as respects persons who, while employed below ground thereat, suffer bodily injury or become ill, of such arrangements for their conveyance to the surface as may be prescribed; and
    2. (ii) as respects persons who, while employed thereat (whether above or below ground), suffer bodily injury or become ill, of such arrangements for their conveyance (where necessary) to hospitals or their homes as may be prescribed.—[Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

This new Clause also gives effect to an undertaking that we should take the power to make regulations for properly trained men to deal with accidents in the pits and be able to take men from the place where they may be injured or fall ill. I am advised that the new Clause gives effect to that undertaking, but I can see that the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Neal) has an Amendment which deals with the question, which shows that he is not quite certain that that is the case. I wish to tell him that I shall be prepared to accept his Amendment to make the drafting of the Clause clearer.

Mr. Awbery

I am at a loss to understand why quarries are left out of this Clause. This is a Mines and Quarries Bill, and the provision of first-aid made in this Clause applies only to the mines. Perhaps the Minister will tell us why, in the first line of the new Clause, he did not put the words "every mine and quarry." If he did that I shall be satisfied, or I shall be satisfied if he will give us an assurance, as he has done on a previous new Clause, that quarries are covered by some other Clause.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

The provisions of this Clause are applied to quarries by Clause 107.

Mr. Awbery

Could we be given the reason why quarries are not mentioned in the new Clause? When the Bill is being interpreted in the courts the Bill will be looked at, not what the Minister says in this House. The new Clause mentions only mines, not quarries. Could the Minister later include the word "quarries"?

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

If the hon. Gentleman will refer to Clause 107 of the Bill, he will see that it applies this new Clause to quarries.

Question put, and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time.

Mr. Harold Neal (Bolsover)

I beg to move as an Amendment to the proposed new Clause, after the first "conveyance," to insert: from the place where they were injured or became ill. I have no desire to detain the House. I thank the Minister for his assurance.

Mr. A. Roberts

I beg to second the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, added to the Bill.