§ Mr. BRACEasked the Home Secretary if, in arriving at the standard for miners' safety-lamps, the test laid down by the Home Office at their testing station is not one of sensitiveness to detect gas, but if 660W the lamp can with safety be used in gas; and, if so, what action is he prepared to take to ensure that miners' safety-lamps shall not only be safe instruments to be used in gas but possess the maximum capacity for detecting the presence of gas?
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, Sir. The purpose of the tests is to determine the safety of a lamp for use in gassy mines, and that is all, as I understand, that I have power under the Act to do. I may say, however, that the detection of gas by the "cap" on the flame does not depend on the design or construction of the lamp, but on the character of the flame, which again depends on the nature of the fuel burnt in the lamp.