§ MR. F. A. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the importance of the Board of Trade being represented at inquests on fatal accidents to railway servants, he will cause a circular letter to be sent to coroners in England and Wales, intimating that the recent increase of the staff of the Board of Trade by the appointment of practical railway men as sub-inspectors of railways, will now enable the Board to be represented more frequently at inquests, and recommending coroners to apply by telegraph to the Board of Trade to send an inspector or sub-inspector to attend all inquests on such fatalities?
MR. GEORGE RUSSELLI am informed by the Board of Trade that in railway cases when a coroner asks for technical assistance, it is their practice, unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, to direct an inspecting officer of railways to attend the inquest. They will be willing to continue this practice in important cases involving the deaths of railway servants, and on receiving a request from the coroner they will direct a sub-inspector to attend. A circular letter scarcely appears to be necessary, as coroners are well aware of the practice of the Department.