§ Mr. G. BARKERasked the Secretary for Mines whether safety appliances were provided for shot firers in the mines when the 14 fatal and 167 serious non-fatal accidents occurred in 1921; and, if so, the names of the mines where those appliances are in use?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIf, as I think, the hon. Member refers to appliances which enable the detonator to be withdrawn after a shot has been charged or has misfired, the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, so far as I have been able to ascertain. I am, however, advised that it is very doubtful whether the use of an appliance of this type could have prevented the vast majority of these accidents, and that the few which it might have prevented were due to breaches of the existing law and Regulations and would not have happened if these had been complied with.