§ Mr. Cassellsasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number 1037W of fatal and non-fatal accidents for the two years ended at the last convenient date due to falls from working places and roads leading thereto in coal mines situated in the following counties:
Persons Killed and Injured* by accidents due to falls of ground at Mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, in the Counties of Stirling, Dumbarton, Lanark, Fife and the Lothians during the years 1935 and 1936. Falls at the Working Face. Falls on Roads. —— Killed. Injured.* Killed. Injured.* 1935. 1936. 1935. 1936. 1935. 1936. 1935. 1936. Stirlingshire 4 2 341 270 nil 1 60 55 Dumbartonshire 1 nil 98 142 2 1 35 23 Lanarkshire 12 19 979 1,061 5 1 115 124 Fifeshire 11 5 1,079 964 2 2 97 92 The Lothians: Mid, East and West. 12 8 965 914 2 1 177 171 * Disabled for more than 3 days.
§ Mr. Cassellsasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the high percentage of fatal accidents in coal mines in the county of Stirling, due to defects in roof supports, during the past three years, he is prepared to advise special steps in the interests of safety being adopted?
§ Captain CrookshankThe fatal accident rates from falls of ground in Stirlingshire during the years 1934–36 have not been appreciably different from those in other Scottish counties though during the current year there have been four deaths from accidents attributed to defective roof supports, compared with three for the whole of 1936, and four in 1935. I might add, however, that the accident rate from all causes in 1936 was considerably higher for Stirlingshire than for the rest of Scotland.
With a view to improving the position, the Divisional Inspector has been having intensive inspections made at a number of collieries in the area, and appropriate action is being taken on the results of these inspections.