HL Deb 25 March 1970 vol 308 cc1407-9

2.45 p.m.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the failure, owing to snow, of the electric-powered winding gear at the Kent coalfields earlier this month, they will ensure that in future all mines have an alternative means of power for bringing men to the surface.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF TECHNOLOGY (LORD DELACOURT-SMITH)

My Lords, immediately after the event, the Chief Inspector of Mines and Quarries initiated a full-scale review of the arrangements for emergency winding in the event of power and other failures. When this is complete my right honourable friend the Minister of Technology will consider whether it is necessary to make regulations under the Mines and Quarries Act governing the provision and maintenance of standby equipment.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that very helpful Answer, may I ask whether he does not agree that it might be a good idea to have reserve generators at all pits, in case a similar emergency occurs in future, especially in East Kent, where we get such heavy snowfalls?

LORD DELACOURT-SMITH

Yes, my Lords. Where a colliery relies on power from public supply, it is already the practice to have duplicate lines from separate substations, and to guard against total failure auxiliary generators are available. However, in this case the factor was that very severe weather prevented some of the auxiliary plant from being brought into operation.

LORD POPPLEWELL

My Lords, can my noble friend say whether the report of the inquiry will be made public or whether it will be a departmental report, in which case we shall have to wait for a White Paper before we have knowledge of it? This is an important question, and it is important to allay any public disquiet that might have been felt over this case.

LORD DELACOURT-SMITH

My Lords, the report is to be a comprehensive one and I can assure my noble friend that action will be taken upon it.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that there is not much point in having auxiliary generators if they are not all at the pits? Would he not agree that it is essential to have diesel generators completely separate at the pits, and not to have to drive them four or five miles from other pits with the chance that they may not get through?

LORD DELACOURT-SMITH

My Lords, in the case under consideration, at one of the collieries the emergency equipment was only 100 yards from the shaft, but the weather conditions were such that it was not possible to make it fully effective.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that although spending twelve hours in a shaft is a horrible experience, which I have had, these things do happen and no one can blame the Government. We cannot put generating stations at every pit and there is still equipment in the pit shaft to bring men up. I think that on this issue everybody is making a mountain out of a molehill.

LORD DELACOURT-SMITH

My Lords, your Lordships will appreciate the point that my noble friend has made. Nevertheless, I am sure you will equally agree that, in the light of this experience, there ought to be a comprehensive review to make sure that arrangements are as good as they can be made.