§ 9. Mr. David Watkinsasked the Minister of Labour when he will introduce legislation to increase the penalty for failing to guard dangerous machinery.
§ Mr. FernyhoughThe maximum penalty for contraventions of the Factories Act and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act likely to cause death or bodily injury is now £300. My right hon. Friend has no proposals to increase these penalties at present but they will be reviewed when the Acts are next revised.
§ Mr. WatkinsIs my hon. Friend aware that anyone who kills another person through dangerously driving a motor car is liable to imprisonment, but that an employer of labour who kills an employee through failing adequately to safeguard dangerous machinery can be fined £300 only? Is not this an anomalous situation in need of rectification?
§ Mr. FernyhoughI hope that the solution to this problem does not necessarily lie in the kind of concept which my hon. Friend has advocated. The sum was increased from £100 in 1959 to the present £300 in the last Factories Act, and will be taken into consideration when the Act is revised, whenever that may be.