§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines the number of mechanical conveyors driven by electrical power, and the number driven by compressed air, at or near the coal face during the three 1415W years ended 1933, respectively; whether compressed-air power for these conveyors is now less efficient than electrical power; and whether he is satisfied as regards the safety of the types that are driven by electrical power.
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe numbers are as follow:-
Mechanical Conveyors in use Below-ground at the Coal-Face. Year. Driven by Electricity. Compressed Air. 1931 1,476 1,661 1932 1,600 1,665 1933 1,878 1,839
1416W
District. Number of Number of Gate-end Loaders. Percentage of Total. Output of Coal Conveyed. Coal-Face Conveyors. Gate Conveyors. Direct into Tubs. With Gate-end Loaders. Total. England and Wales. Northumberland 252 96 30 26 6 32 Durham 268 90 45 10 4 14 Cumberland and Westmorland 14 5 3 7 2 9 Lancashire and Cheshire 349 65 19 30 4 34 Yorkshire, South 317 115 62 18 5 23 Yorkshire, West 109 14 32 5 6 11 Nottinghamshire 279 60 79 24 22 46 Derbyshire, North 183 26 53 15 18 33 Derbyshire, South 15 3 3 23 7 30 Staffordshire, North 242 44 20 65 10 75 Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire and Worcester-shire. 90 26 14 16 5 21 Leicestershire 51 14 7 21 7 28 Warwickshire 101 54 16 32 14 46 Shropshire — — — — — — Forest of Dean and Somerset-shire. 12 — — 8 — 8 Bristol and Kent 51 10 4 66 7 73 South Wales and Monmouth-shire. 712 225 9 20 1 21 North Wales 85 28 2 54 1 55 Scotland. Fife, Clackmannan, Kinross and Sutherland. 188 58 19 61 10 71 The Lothians (Mid and East) 95 20 66 9 41 50 Lanarkshire, Linlithgow, Stirling, Renfrew and Dumbarton. 255 61 76 17 18 35 Ayrshire, Dumfries and Argyll. 49 25 5 20 2 22 Great Britain 3,717 1,039 564 22 8 30 Both types of drive are efficient and the use of electricity for this and other purposes is limited and closely governed on grounds of safety by the provisions of the Coal Mines Act and of General Regulations.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines the number of mechanical conveyors and loaders in use at or near the coal face in mines at the end of December, 1933; the percentage of the total output of coal carried in 1933 by these conveyors; and the percentage of the outputs of each of the 25 districts given in his annual report that is transported by conveyors at the coal face as well as the percentage that is carried by other mechanical means within the same area?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe particulars in respect of the year ended 31st December, 1933, are as follow: