HC Deb 19 November 1954 vol 533 cc712-3

Lords Amendment: In page 44, line 20, at end, insert: (7) It shall be the duty of the manager of every safety-lamp mine and of every mane containing a safety-lamp part to secure that, at or near every place where searches are carried out under arrangements made in pursuance of paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section, notices warning persons of their liability under subsection (1) thereof are kept posted in such characters and in such positions as to be easily seen and read by persons liable to be searched.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

The Amendment is again in response to an undertaking, and provides that warning notices against the carrying of contraband shall be displayed in collieries at places beyond those places at which searches are made.

Mr. Neal

These provisions used to be described as relating to prohibited articles. We all know the disastrous consequences which are likely to occur through miners taking underground smoking materials, matches and cigarette lighters. The Amendment is very desirable. As the Amendment says, notices are to be kept posted: in such characters and in such positions as to be easily seen and read by persons liable to be searched. These notices should certainly be there when the men are entering the pit premises so that they are seen and before the men are searched.

Sometimes a smoker inadvertently leaves in his pocket one or other of these contraband articles especially at those pits which have no pithead baths, and which, therefore, do not allow him to have a change of clothing. In such cases a man is likely to commit an offence unwittingly, and if he reads a notice, in legible characters, before he reaches the point of search it is likely to give him a last reminder to search himself before being searched officially by a deputy or other official at the colliery. We thank the Minister once more for agreeing with us and bringing forward the Amendment.

Question put, and agreed to.

Subsequent Lords Amendments, to the Amendment in page 47, line 15, agreed to.