§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department it there is any objection to supplying the Merthyr Tydvil Urban District Council with a copy of the Report of the Commissioner 1078 appointed by the Privy Council Office to investigate the allegations contained in the several petitions for and against the incorporation of Merthyr in 1897; whether the representation addressed to the Crown by the Department in respect to such petitions was based solely on the facts as ascertained by Mr. Commissioner Cress well at the public inquiry held in Merthyr; or whether the Privy Council Office was guided in its representation by information furnished in any other manner; and if he can give the names of the Committee of the Lords of the Council who consider applications for municipal charters of incorporation.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonI have consulted the Lord President of the Council who states that the Report of the Commissioner of the Lords of the Council on the petition for the incorporation of Merthyr Tydvil was of a confidential nature, and confined to the statement of facts which he was instructed to furnish. It was on this statement of facts that the Charter was refused. It is not the practice to state the composition of the Committee of Council to which such petitions are referred.