§ Mr. Hollisasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is yet able to make a statement concerning the fatal accident to Patricia Osland, of Bromham, near Devizes, owing to an explosion of coal.
§ Mr. GaitskellI have now received and considered fully reports from the police and also from His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines. I am satisfied, from these reports, that the explosion was not caused by any coalmining explosive inadvertently left in the coal. The safeguards, which are laid down under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, appear to have been properly observed at the colliery from which this coal came, and I am advised that these safeguards, if fully carried out, are adequate to protect the public against the possibility of receiving coal containing stray mining explosives. It seems possible, from the nature of this explosion, that it might have been caused by some form of ammunition which had accidently found its way136W into the fire with the coal. I am sending the hon. Member a fuller note on the matter.