§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Secretary for Mines to how many, and what establishments employing how many persons, has the power given under Section 59 (2) of the amended Emergency Powers (Defence) Regulations to dispense with the provisions of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, Metalliferous Mines Regulation Acts, 1872–75, the Quarries Act, 1894, and any orders, regulations or rules under any of these Acts, been applied; in what cases have the entire Acts, orders, regulations or rules, been dispensed with; in what cases have only certain sections been dispensed with and which sections; and in how many and which of the above cases of dispensation has it been effected after consultation with and with the consent of the trade unions concerned?
§ Mr. LloydI propose to effect by Order under this regulation certain temporary modifications rendered necessary by the war in the new general regulations dealing with precautions against coal dust which are to be brought into force on 1st January next. These modifications are being made after consultation and agreement with the national associations representing the mine owners, the managers and the workmen.
The only other use made of this power has been to continue under Defence Regulations the practice of granting temporary exemptions which were previously granted under the Winding and Haulage Regulations, 1937. Such grants have been made in respect of six mines employing approximately 4,570 persons underground, postponing for short periods the obligations to provide slow banking equipment, the ground for postponement being in each case unavoidable delay in the delivery of the equipment by the manufacturers.