§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and nonfatal accidents, respectively, which have occurred to horses and ponies employed in the coal mines in this country during 1085W the last six months; and how that number compares with that of similar accidents in other European countries, respectively?
§ Mr. SHINWELLDuring the year ended 30th June, 1930, the latest period for which information is available, the number of horses and ponies killed or destroyed in consequence of injury by accident was 1,793. The number injured by accident was 6,116. I regret that similar information in respect of other European countries is not available.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines whether, having regard to the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents to horses and ponies employed in coal mines in this country, he will consider the desirability of instructing the haulage committee of the Safety in Mines Research Board to give special consideration to the matter of what effective steps should be taken to prevent such accidents happening in the future; and if he will publish the recommendations made by that committee as a special Paper?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe prevention of accidents to horses and ponies in mines is a matter which is already being dealt with by the inspectors of mines. The special investigations of the Safety in Mines Research Board are to be directed to the prevention of the very large number of haulage accidents to men and boys—a serious and difficult problem requiring new and separate study. Facts may emerge in the course of the Board's investigations which will prove of value in connection with the prevention of accidents to horses in mines. I will bear this point in mind when considering whether recommendations shall be published.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines whether he proposes to take any and, if so, what steps to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Northern Divisional Mines Report for 1928, and in a paper recently published by his Department by one of His Majesty's mines horses inspectors, that there should be an efficient training scheme for pony drivers in coal mines; and whether it is his intention to make a regulation fixing the minimum age at which boys shall be allowed to have 1086W charge of ponies underground, the same as in the case of those in charge of motor haulage engines underground?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave on 29th July last to questions on the same points by my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton West (Mr. W. Brown).
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the circumstance that the proportionately high death and accident rate among horses and ponies in the Yorkshire coalfield has been continuous from 1924 to 1929; what is the reason why the Yorkshire coalfield should have so exceptionally high an accident rate; and if he proposes to take any and, if so, what measures to secure a reduction in the number of such accidents?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe abnormally high death rate from accidents to ponies in the Yorkshire coalfield has received close attention from my Department and from the inspectors of mines for some time past in an endeavour to bring about an improvement, and I am glad to say that during the past two years the accident rate has been substantially lower. I know of no good reason why the accident rate to ponies should be higher in Yorkshire than in other coalfields, and the efforts of the inspectors will continue to be directed in every way possible to bring about still further improvement.