§ MR. LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that there is a general desire in Scotland that public inquiries should be held into deaths from accidents or under suspicious circumstances; whether it is in his power to direct the Procurators Fiscal to conduct such inquiries in public and to give publicity to their Reports, now made privately through the Agent for the Crown to his Lordship; and whether, if legislation is necessary to secure public inquests, he will introduce a Bill for this purpose?
§ *MR. J. B. BALFOURI am aware that there is a prevalent desire in Scotland that public inquiries should be held in regard to deaths resulting from accidents occurring in industrial employments, and it is intended to introduce a Bill dealing with the subject during the present Session. I do not consider that I have power to direct Procurators Fiscal to conduct such inquiries in public and to give publicity to the Reports now made to the Crown Agent.