§ Mr. FREEMANasked the Secretary for Mines the rates per 1,000 at which horses and ponies employed underground in mines were killed and injured during each of the last 10 years; the rate of killed and injured ponies per 1,000 in each of the divisions into which the coalfields are divided in official reports for
Inspection Division. 1921.* 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926.* 1927. 1928. 1929.† 193O.† (i) Number of Horses and Ponies killed or destroyed in consequence of injury or accident per 1,000 Horses and Ponies employed. Scotland 48 48 52 61 45 22 50 42 26 39 Northern 26 37 35 36 33 18 28 31 30 32 Yorkshire 63 76 81 75 76 46 65 70 52 51 North Midland 37 45 50 48 46 25 36 42 39 35 North Western 27 26 30 27 30 14 39 21 23 12 Cardiff and Forest of Dean. 27 34 48 46 40 27 32 37 42 39 Swansea 41 42 41 23 31 29 28 34 Midland and Southern 45 42 55 44 42 26 43 32 31 38 Great Britain 35 43 47 47 43 26 37 39 36 36 (ii) Number of Horses and Ponies injured by accidents per 1,000 Horses and Ponies employed. Scotland 28 30 41 34 30 24 32 43 36 25 >Northern 75 104 103 107 86 36 87 76 84 101 Yorkshire 143 167 166 176 188 76 150 152 171 187 North Midland 147 189 177 193 160 96 128 149 170 167 North Western 84 85 89 87 91 37 86 57 49 41 Cardiff and Forest of Dean. 84 118 136 126 175 52 97 108 112 149 Swansea 119 98 120 49 84 81 68 82 Midland and Southern 86 64 80 82 62 50 73 81 109 73 Great Britain 92 120 123 125 125 55 101 102 112 124 * Mines idle for considerable period owing to disputes. † The figures for the years 1929 and 1930 relate to the 12 months ended 30th June. The causes of the accidents are very varied, but many of them are caused by the horse or tub getting out of control, or by the horse stumbling or stepping aside. The reporting of injuries to these animals is regulated by the Coal Mines Act, 1911, and I see no sufficient reason to ask Parliament to make any alteration. The welfare of the animals is carefully watched by competent inspectors.