§ Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Home Secretary the number of accidents caused by lifting heavy weights in the woollen and worsted industries prior to the Order fixing maximum weights compared with the number of such accidents since the Order became effective?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI regret that the figures necessary for any such comparison cannot be given. At the time these Regulations were made, no evidence was available as to the total number of cases of injury from lifting of heavy weights. What happened was that one of the employers' associations submitted to the Factory Department evidence of injuries to workers employed in their section of the industries, and on this evidence the Factory Department invited the National Wool (and Allied) Textile Industrial Council to take the matter up. The council thereupon appointed a special committee, on which both employers and workers were represented, to investigate the question. As a result of this inquiry unanimous agreement was reached and the Regulations were made, at the request of the council, to give effect to this agreement.