§ Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the Home Secretary whether the men attending the Crumlin, Monmouthshire, rescue station have suspended their efficiency practice as a protest against the coal-owners' refusal to meet them to discuss matters of importance re conditions of training, remuneration, etc.; whether such meeting has been applied for since May, 1920; whether the request is the result of advice given by the Coal Controller in a letter dated 11th February, 1920; and, seeing that, should their services be required, this suspension of practice may be disastrous, will he take steps to see that such meeting takes place?
Mr. BARKERasked the Secretary for Mines if the members of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Mine Rescue Workers' Association (Crumlin Rescue 'Station area) have suspended training in rescue work as a protest against the action of the employers' representatives refusing to afford them reasonable facili- 484W ties to lay before them the grievances of the rescue workers; that the applications for an interview have been ignored since the 29th May, 1920; and if he will cause inquiries to be made as to the genuineness of this complaint and, if necessary, advise the owners' representatives to meet the men affected with a view to remedying these grievances?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANInformation was received during February that training practices at Crumlin Rescue Station had been discontinued owing to the men's complaint that they had not received the same treatment as the men at other rescue stations in South Wales, and the management were advised to remedy this complaint. I will have further enquiries made when the present crisis in the coal industry is past.