§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to refrain from granting exemptions from mine safety regulations which allow underground development to advance without roof support beyond 2 m or whose advance extends to distances at which safety cannot be guaranteed or gas cannot be tested with the approved apparatus.
§ Mr. McLoughlinExemptions from certain of the requirements of mining legislation may only be granted by the Health and Safety Executive inspectorate of mines.
An HSE inspector of mines may exempt a mine, or part of a mine, from the requirements of a particular Act or regulation providing that the inspector is satisfied that the safety of persons employed at the mine will not be prejudiced by the granting of the exemption.