HC Deb 12 May 1899 vol 71 cc472-3
SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the evidence taken in Sheffield by the Dangerous Trades Committee will be published, in order that the workmen in the file-cutting and other trades affected may be able to judge if the witnesses had sufficient knowledge of the facts to guide a Committee without practical experience in the trades concerned.

* THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY, Lancashire, Blackpool)

Much of the evidence taken by the Committee on the file-cutting and grinding trades was obtained informally by them while visiting the working places. Evidence was also given formally by many witnesses (most of it by representatives of the workmen themselves), and notes, though not verbatim reports, were taken. In accordance with my honourable friend's suggestion, I have asked the Committee to summarise the notes with a view to their publication.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

Will that include the informal as well as the formal evidence?

* SIR M. WHITE RIDLEY

Yes.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

Will the names of the informal witnesses be given?

* SIR M. WHITE RIDLEY

That is rather a, matter for the Committee.

MR. STUART WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam)

Is the right honourable Gentleman aware that representatives of working men's organizations express great dissatisfaction with the findings of the Committee?

* SIR M WHITE RIDLEY

This is a question rather of the evidence taken than of the findings.

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