§ MR. A. C. MORTONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the Report of Her Majesty's Inspector of Mines on the colliery accident at Ravens-lodge Colliery, Dewsbury, was presented 882 to Parliament; and whether he is aware that the annual Reports of all Her Majesty's Inspectors of Mines are presented to Parliament; and, that being so, will he reconsider his decision as to the Report of the Inspector on the accident at New Battle Collieries, Midlothian?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. ASQITITH,) Fife, E.The Report to which my hon. Friend refers in the first paragraph was a Report made by the Inspector upon the public inquest which was held after the accident. The Reports referred to in the second paragraph are public Reports prepared for the information of Parliament. It would, in my opinion, be undesirable and greatly hamper the freedom of the Inspectors, if the Secretary of State were unable to receive a Report from the Inspectors on any individual case, without it being in, his discretion to say whether it should be communicated to Parliament or not. I must adhere to my decision with regard to the accident at New Battle Collieries.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONI beg to give notice I shall call attention to this matter on the Vote on Account.