§ Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (1) whether he can give any information in connection with the explosion at a Royal Ordnance Factory in Wales on Friday, 19th September; how many men were killed and injured; and what was the cause of the explosion;
(2) whether he can give any information in connection with the explosion at a Royal Ordnance Factory in the West of England on 12th September when three men were killed and a number injured; whether any of the missing men have been found; and what was the cause of the accident?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanI should like to take this opportunity of expressing the deep sympathy of my Noble Friend and his colleagues on the Supply Council with the relatives of the employees of the Royal Ordnance Factories concerned who lost their lives in these accidents. The accident on 19th September occurred in a shell-filling shop and, as a result, two men were killed and two men and one woman were seriously injured. Owing to the precautions observed, only one shell exploded. The accident on 12th September occurred during the milling of high explosive for shell filling. Three men were killed; four men were injured sufficiently seriously to be detained in hospital and eleven others were slightly injured. The explosion was confined to the building in which it occurred. The bodies of the three missing men have been recovered. In both cases inquiries have been held by His Majesty's Inspectors of Explosives, but the causes of the accidents have so far not been established. All possible steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents. I should add that in both incidents the workers and staff behaved admirably, and it is proposed suitably to acknowledge acts of bravery on the part of certain employees.