§ 19. Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent study he has made of the causes of accidents in the home; and what new proposals he has to reduce the number of those accidents.
§ Mr. RentonThe main cause of accidents in the home is human frailty in the form of ignorance, carelessness and physical disability. This is being combated by education and publicity. A secondary cause is faulty design of appliances, and whenever an example of bad design or construction is brought to notice steps are taken, so far as is reasonably practicable, to have it remedied.
§ Mr. SpriggsDoes not the Minister realise that severe shock and pain is suffered when infants are injured or meet an early death as a result of burns in the home, and is not he aware that it would be well worth while the Government requiring by regulation the manufacture of night-wear garments from non-flammable materials only? If he saved only one life a year by the enforcement of such a regulation, would it not be well worth while?
§ Mr. RentonThere is a later Question on the Order Paper dealing with regulations. More than half of the fatal accidents in the home occur to people over 75, and many of those accidents are due to the old people falling down.