§ MR. CROMBIE (Kineardineshire)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will cause an inquiry to be held into the circumstances attending the wreck of the trawler "Star of Hope," at Collieston, Aberdeenshire, on December 5th, and especially the delay of ten hours before any assistance was rendered to the wrecked vessel, during which time two of the crew were washed overboard and drowned, and a third died of exposure.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsThe question of ordering a formal investigation into the circumstances attending the wreck of the "Star 821 of Hope" in December last was very carefully considered, and it was concluded that no useful purpose was likely to be served by an inquiry. The vessel was engaged on behalf of the Scottish Fishery Board in working as near inshore as possible, and the casualty appeared to be due merely to an error of judgment not attributable to any person holding a certificate of competency. There appears to have been some delay in reporting the wreck to the Life Saving Apparatus Company at Collieston, and of this matter I understand the Admiralty have taken cognisance, but the company acted with promptitude as soon as the casualty was reported to them.