§ MR. GEOFFREY DRAGE (Derby)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the unanimous Report of the Royal Commission on Mining Royalties, appointed in 1889, and the recommendation it contains that the Department of Mines in the Home Office should be reorganised and extended, with such additional statutory powers as may be necessary, for the purpose of collecting and publishing accurate information with regard to mines and minerals; and, whether any steps were taken by the late Government to carry out the recommendations of the Commission?
§ SIR MATTHEW RIDLEYMy attention has been called to this matter. I find that the Mineral Statistics Department of the Home Office was reorganised by my predecessor in accordance with the recommendation of the Commission, and its work was put under the charge of Dr. Le Neve Foster, an able statistician and experienced inspector. The suggestions of the Commission are being carried out so far as this can be done without fresh legislation. ["Hear, hear!"]