§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many accidents have been caused in the last 10 years due to people falling down mineshafts or into open quarries, giving the general nature of injuries sustained;
(2) whether any accidents have been recorded in England and Wales of people falling down mineshafts or into quarries where there is an effective notice displayed drawing the public's attention to the danger involved.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI regret that the information on accidents to the public from falling down mineshafts or into open quarries is not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private Acts contain provisions similar to clause 37 of the Cornwall County Council Bill obliging occupiers and others to fence dangerous excavations.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI am aware of only one similar provision in current private acts: section 159 of the Hastings Improvement Act 1885. This provision, in common with much other local authority legislation passed before 1 April 1974, will lapse within a few years under section 262(9) of the Local Government Act 1972.