§ Mr. LAMBERTasked the Home Secretary if he has received protests from local authorities against the inclusion of workmen engaged in the open-air quarrying of stone for road work being included in the Sandstone Industry (Silicosis) 1211W Scheme, 1929; and whether he proposes to modify the Statutory Rules so as to exclude such workmen?
§ Mr. CLYNESNo, Sir. I do not appear to have received any such protests, and I find that, although the scheme, before being made, was issued in draft to all the local authorities concerned, numbering nearly 80, only one of them raised any objection. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the negative. As I explained to the right hon. Gentleman in reply to a previous question, oases of silicosis found among quarrymen and others engaged in manipulating sandstone prove that, notwithstanding that the industry is an open-air one, the risk is by no means slight, and, so far as I am aware, there is no evidence at present of any immunity among those employed in the roadstone section.