§ 14. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the accident rate in Portsmouth dockyard during the past year.
§ Dr. David OwenIn 1968, there were 458 accidents to industrial staff in Portsmouth dockyard. The great majority of the consequential injuries were of a minor nature. Nevertheless, we are not relaxing our efforts to improve safety, and, as my hon. Friend knows, a Yard Safety Committee has recently been established.
§ Mr. JuddIs this not a deteriorating record of work safety, and, at a time of modernisation in the yards, is it not most unsatisfactory? Will it receive the closest possible attention?
§ Dr. OwenI am not complacent about any accidents. As I have said, we are looking at the matter closely. We have instilled into the dockyard industrial labour force a safety consciousness of a pretty high level, and our record compares very favourably with that of outside industry.