§ LORD ERNEST BRUCEasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, if under existing Acts of Parliament the Government have power to compel Railway Companies to set aside one or more compartments in each train for the exclusive use of ladies travelling alone, there is any power on the part of the Railway authorities to compel ladies travelling alone to occupy those compartments in preference to others?
§ SIR CHARLES ADDERLEYSir, no Act of Parliament enables the Board of Trade to compel railway companies to set aside compartments for the exclusive use of ladies travelling alone. I hope the Board of Trade will never have such regulations between companies and the public in their hands on the part of the Government. The Board of Trade can approve by-laws, but not impose them. Most of the companies have such a regulation, and do set apart compartments for ladies. But, as the noble Lord's very natural Question suggests, they cannot compel ladies to use them. I am not sure that it is not as requisite that compartments should be set aside for men into which women should not be admitted.