Dr. Morganasked the Secretary for Mines why there is only one medical inspector of mines, who also acts as medical adviser to the Mines Department; and whether, having regard to the number of mines in this country, the number of miners employed, the heavy incidence of accidents and industrial disease and the need for medical supervision and advice, his Department will consider the immediate advisability of appointing at least four more medical inspectors?
§ Mr. GrenfellAs my hon. Friend will be aware, the Royal Commission on Safety in Coal Mines made certain recommendations in regard to medical and allied services, which would involve some increase in the medical inspectorate. Those and many other recommendations of the Commission, which were accepted in principle by the Government, were under consideration as a whole when the war broke out. I regret that it has not been possible under war conditions to complete our examination of the wide field covered by the Royal Commission's 1059W report, but I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion and communicate with him at an early date.