§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has received a letter from Messrs. Reed and Cook, solicitors, stating that they are employed professionally for the parents and friends of the late Minnie Yandall, of Taunton, concerning whose death, during the annual training of the West Somerset Yeomanry, an inquiry by the Commanding Officer of the Yeomanry has been promised, and asking that the inquiry should be a public one, and that the parents of the girl should be represented at it; and, what answer, if any, has been made to this letter?
§ * MR. E. STANHOPEYes, Sir; a letter has been received from Messrs. Reed and Cook relative to the case of Minnie Yandall, and those gentlemen have been informed that the Commanding Officer of the West Somerset Yeomanry has carefully inquired into the circumstances of the case by my direction, and that, having considered his Report, I am of opinion that no further steps are necessary in the matter. One point which I referred to in my former answer has been satisfactorily cleared up. I said that in my opinion the officers in question ought to have 1252 appeared to give evidence before the coroner. It has now been explained to me that the training being over, the regiment had dispersed, and that those officers had no knowledge whatever of what had occurred, nor were they summoned by the coroner. If they had been informed of the lamentable event which took place, they would at once have applied to be examined as witnesses.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREIs no publication to be made in regard to the inquiry?
§ * MR. E. STANHOPENo, Sir.