§ SIR FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Yorkshire, W.R., Shipley)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the fact 429 that the latest annual return of railway accidents shows an increase of forty-seven killed and 116 injured as compared with the previous year; and can he state what steps are being taken by the Board of Trade regulations towards the reduction of accidents on railways.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe figures given by my hon. friend relate to the increase in the total number of railway servants (including servants of contractors) killed and injured on railways and railway premises not only in the course of the movement of traffic but from all causes. The rules already drafted by the Board of Trade under the Act of last year I hope may help to bring about some reduction in the number of accidents occurring in the course of the movement of traffic. The objections to these proposed rules which have been filed by the railway companies are under the consideration of Lord James of Hereford and two officials of the Board of Trade. The Board will use every endeavour to make the draft rules effective as soon as circumstances will allow.
In reply to a supplementary question by Sir Fortescue Flannery, Mr. GERALD BALFOUR said it was better that the railway companies should agree to the rules than that they should be made the subject of appeals to the Railway Commission.