HC Deb 25 May 1965 vol 713 cc39-40W
Mr. Abse

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware that falls of roof or sides account for a high proportion of mining accidents, that a miner cannot recover damages if he sustains an accident while engaged in repairing a roof following upon a fall and that this takes place at a time when the danger from the roof is greatest; and whether he will introduce legislation to reverse the effect of the decision in Walsh versus the National Coal Board so that miners engaged at the most dangerous times and places shall be fully protected.

Mr. John Morris

I am not satisfied that legislation on the lines suggested by the hon. Member is necessary or that its results would prove to be practicable.

Mr. Abse

asked the Minister of Power whether he is aware of the encroachment upon rights of injured miners to claim damages following the decision of Brown v. National Coal Board; and whether, in order to ensure that a miner has no less legal protection underground than factory workers in a factory, he will seek to place an absolute duty upon mine managers to ensure that roads and working places in mines are made and left secure.

Mr. John Morris

I am not satisfied that legislation on the lines suggested by the hon. Member is necessary or that its results would prove to be practicable.

Mr. Wainwright

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the fatal accident rate per 100,000 shifts worked underground and surface, respectively, in the coal-mining industry in each of the past 10 years; and what information he has as to how these figures compare with mines in other countries.

Mr. John Morris

The figures for 1964 were 0.20 per 100,000 manshifts worked underground and 0.08 on the surface. Information in respect of earlier years is published in the Annual Reports of H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines and Quarries (Table 4).

Information in my right hon. Friend's Department about the rates of fatal underground accidents in the principal hard-coal producing countries shows that only the Netherlands has a lower rate than Great Britain.