§ MR. PROVAND () Glasgow, BlackfriarsI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the explosion of a petroleum lamp at Salford, on 29th December last, which caused the death of five persons; whether he has considered the verdict of the jury in the inquest held on the five bodies, and the remarks of the coroner, who strongly condemned the use of dangerous lamps such as the one which caused the accident; and whether he intends this session to introduce the Bill to deal with the sale of lamps, and carry out the promise to Parliament made by the Under Secretary to the Department on 15th March, 1899, 83 when he informed the House that the Government had decided to deal with the questions of dangerous lamps and oils, and that their Bill had long been in preparation and was in a forward state.
§ *SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYI have had before me the evidence in the case to I which the hon. Member refers; and am only too well aware of the danger which arises from the use of inferior lamps. But the whole question of petroleum lamps and oils is, as the hon. Member will recognise, a very controversial one, and I fear that I cannot promise legislation upon it this session.