§ MR. MACDONALD (Tower Hamlets, Bow)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what duties have been assigned to the new Sub-inspectors; what cases they have up to the present inquired into; and whether it is the intention of the Board to publish their Reports; and, if not, on what grounds?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.The Sub-inspectors are chiefly engaged in dealing with the returns of accidents to servants of railway companies. They also render assistance in regard to complaints of unreasonable hours of work, and they also generally assist the principal Inspectors. Thirty-four investigations of accidents to servants have been, or are being, made by them, and in addition, in a large number of cases, the Sub-inspectors have made recommendations on accident returns with a view to preventing the recurrence of certain classes of accidents. Any Report which is on a subject and in a form which makes it suitable for publication will be published; but the Reports hitherto received; while valuable to the Board of Trade, are not within this category.