HC Deb 13 April 1896 vol 39 c739
MR. F. A. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he can state what was the number of inquests held on railway servants killed in discharge of their duties during the year 1895; at how many of such inquests the Board of Trade was represented by an inspecting officer, a sub-inspector, or other representative; and in how many instances the coroner applied for an official of the Board of Trade to attend as an assessor, in pursuance of Section 8 of the Regulation of Railways Act 18711

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) Croydon

Two hundred and seventy-six coroners' returns were received by the Board of Trade in 1895; in no case did the coroner apply for an assessor in pursuance of the Act, but in three cases coroners asked for technical assistance and in two cases such assistance was given—in one by an inspecting officer and in the other by a sub-inspector. In the third case the coroner asked for scientific evidence, and this the Board of Trade were unable to give.