§ MR. J. HOPE (Fifeshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, seeing that the output of coal in Fifeshire has doubled during the last twenty years, and looking to the number of colliery disasters in the county recently, he will appoint additional inspectors of mines, and make it a condition that one, at least, shall reside in Fifeshire.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLADSTONE,) Leeds, W.The question whether any improvement can be made in the present system of administering the Mines Acts is one of those that are to be referred to the proposed Royal Commission on Mines. The needs of Scotland will, no doubt, be fully considered by the Commission.