§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he had any fresh information as to the railway accident at Salisbury, and whether full inquiry would at once be instituted into the cause of the disaster.
§ MR. WARDLE (Stockport)asked the right hon. Gentleman whether in view of the large number of accidents which had recently occurred through engines jumping the rails when running at high speeds, and especially in view of the deplorable accident at Salisbury, he would cause special inquiries to be made regarding (1) the practice of running express trains at such high speeds (2), the state of the permanent ways, (3) the construction of the engines, and other cognate matters, with a view to the prevention of such accidents.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI have not yet received any particulars beyond those which have appeared in the newspapers as to the appalling accident which took place yesterday. The inspecting officer of the Board of Trade has already proceeded to Salisbury, but I have not yet received his preliminary report. A formal inquiry will be held later on as to the causes of the accident, in the course of which the matters referred to by the hon. Member will be carefully investigated; but it would be premature to offer any opinion on them at the present moment. I may be permitted to add that this terrible accident has evoked the deepest sympathies of this House and of the nation with the friends and relatives of the victims of the accident, and with the injured survivors.