§ MR. BELL (Derby)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Great Southern and Western Railway Company have issued forms to their employees for their signatures, which pledge them to secrecy; and whether he can take any steps to prevent the men being debarred from making complaints under the Railway Servants (Hours) Act, 1893, and the Railways (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralMy attention was directed to a newspaper statement on the subject, and I communicated with the railway company. In reply, I am informed that 914 there was no intention whatever to debar workmen from exercising their legal rights under Acts of Parliament. The Company's workmen are, in fact, not asked to sign the circular, which was simply intended to prevent the clerical staff from communicating the company's confidential business to persons outside the office.