HC Deb 30 June 1954 vol 529 cc1386-7

(1) Provision may be made by regulations for requiring such steps as may be prescribed to be taken at mines for the purpose of preventing persons from being injured by the accidental fall of articles down shafts or staple-pits thereat.

(2) Subsection (4) of section thirty of this Act shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section.—[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 Clause gives effect to an undertaking which I gave in Committee that we should take power to make regulations as far as possible to prevent the danger from articles falling down shafts.

Mr. Awbery

Why have quarries been omitted from the Clause? In the Clause we find only the word "mines." A large number of accidents occur in quarries through falling stone. In fact, in the year before last there were 33 fatal accidents in quarries. Are quarries included in the Clause and, if so, why does not the word "quarries" follow the word "mines"? Perhaps the Minister would give me an assurance that quarries are included.

Mr. L. W. Joynson-Hicks

I think I can assist the hon. Member quite shortly. This Clause deals only with articles falling down shafts. The general provisions dealing with falls at the face in quarries are covered in other parts of the Bill.

Question put, and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.