COLONEL MELLOR (Lancashire, Radcliffe)I beg ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the inquiry into the case of the workpeople of the East Lancashire Taper Mill Company in Radcliffe, alleged to have been dismissed for giving evidence in a recent case arising out of the Employers' Liability Act, has been completed; if the representatives of the Company were afforded the same opportunity for stating their case when the Treasury Solicitor visited Radcliffe as was afforded to the discharged workpeople; if he will state the result of the inquiry; and whether he would consider the expediency of introducing into an amended Employers' Liability Act the provisions of the Protect ion of witnesses Act, for the protect ion of workpeople who may be called upon to give evidence in cases arising out of the Employers' Liability Act?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolThe inquiry which the Treasury Solicitor instituted at my request was completed some days ago. As its object was to ascertain if there were any grounds for a prosecution, he naturally did not take statements from persons who might have been involved in a criminal charge. 930 The result, however, showing that no prosecution could be undertaken, I have given the company an opportunity of explaining their action, and they have submitted statements to show that two of the men were dismissed for bad work, the third for disobedience. I cannot say that I am able to regard the explanation as quite satisfactory; the more so that no explanation is attempted of their dismissal of the sister of the plaintiff in the suit, a point to which I called their special attention. ["Hear, hear!"] I do not think that the matter comes within the scope of the Employers' Liability Bill.