The Mining Industry: Safety Levels (Hansard, 30 November 1995)

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that the current enforcement and regulatory regime for the mining industry is sufficiently robust to ensure that risks to miners' health and safety from mining activities are properly controlled. The Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive, together with all sides of industry, continually strive to reduce the number of workplace accidents.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. However, is he aware that official figures show that there has been an increase in accident rates—they have in fact risen by 28 per cent.—since the mines were privatised? The figures also show that there have been 82 major accidents since April of this year, compared with 64 for the same period last year.
Does the Minister agree that dispensing with the post of deputy—which, as your Lordships probably know, was a key post as regards safety in the mines—has been an important contributor to that increase? Finally, is the Minister also aware that, in some pits, pressure is being put on miners not to report minor accidents, sometimes with the veiled threat of dismissal?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, I shall answer first the noble Lord's last point. There is no evidence to show that that is so. Without evidence, I feel that that is not the sort of suggestion which should be made. However, as regards safety standards deteriorating with privatisation, there is no evidence to suggest that that is the case. The HSE's Inspectorate of Mines regularly monitors standards. The 1994–95 figures to March were published in the HSC's annual report on 21st November. The "all reported injury" figure for coal mines was 467. That is a reduced figure compared with that for the previous statistical year of 976.

§ Lord Mason of Barnsley
My Lords, is the Minister aware that one man's life is just as precious whether it is in a privatised coal mine or a nationalised coal mine? I believe that most men in the privatised mines are safety trained and safety conscious because most of them became so experienced in the previous National Coal Board pits. However, is the Minister also aware that I am disturbed to learn that the overseers—the deputies, the certificated safety officers—may be withdrawn from privatised coal mines? Has the Minister received any assurances from the Inspectorate of Mines on that score, 692 and can he say whether the reports from the mines inspectors show any dangerous trend in fatalities and casualties?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, once again, I shall deal first with the last question. No trend has been reported on fatal and serious accidents. The Government are committed to the maintenance and improvement of safety standards. The HSC continues with its mining legislation renewal programme and has appointed a committee representative of the various interests in coal mining to advise on the protection of people who work in the industry.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, can the Minister say whether the Government and the department involved keep in touch with other countries with regard to the progress that they have been making in the area, so that we might be able to help them and they, in turn, may be able to help us improve safety conditions in our pits? Does the Minister agree that that would be a sensible thing? If that task is not carried out at present, would the noble Lord please be good enough to consider it?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, of course the Health and Safety Executive and the commission follow developments around the world. The UK's record is as good as, if not better than, any other country in the world. Indeed, the unions would be the first to agree with that.

§ Baroness Turner of Camden:
My Lords, the Minister referred to the report of the Health and Safety Commission. Is he aware that, according to that report, the number of mining inspectors has decreased and continues to decrease? Is the noble Lord also aware that, according to the last report, there has unfortunately been an increase in the number of fatalities and that cases of pneumoconiosis are also increasing and on an upward trend? Surely that is an indication that the situation cannot be as satisfactory as the Minister indicates. Therefore, does it not require some further attention along the lines indicated by my noble friend?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, it is true that the number of inspectors is reducing, but so is the number of people employed in the industry. In 1993 there were 0.2 inspectors—quite how one obtains 0.2 of an inspector, I am not sure—per 100 miners. In planning for 1996 there will be 0.23 inspectors per 100 miners, assuming the employment of 10,000 miners. We are, of course, conscious of the safety and sickness aspects of this matter. We are doing everything we can to maintain and to improve standards as best we can.

§ Lord Cochrane of Cults
My Lords, will my noble friend be kind enough to confirm that, in the consideration of safety, mining extends further than coal mining?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, that is absolutely true. However, this Question was directed to coal mining.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, if the Minister felt that I was making an allegation with regard to veiled threats, with great respect to him he ought to think more deeply before giving the kind of answer that he did. In that regard, would the Minister or the Government consider as a matter of urgency convening meetings with 693 the unions concerned, who will provide not only the evidence we have discussed but much more? Will the Minister reply to the point which is of some importance; namely, the fact that deputies are no longer employed in the pits, and they are the key safety figures? I repeat my question. Does not the Minister think that that is an important contributory factor in the increase in accidents?

§ Lord Chesham
My Lords, I shall write to the noble Lord on the matter of deputies. However, I do not accept that the number of accidents is increasing. There is no evidence to suggest that that is the case.