§ MR. BELL (Derby)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take an early opportunity of appointing a Statutory Committee, representing the railway companies, Board of Trade, and railway employees, to examine and select automatic couplings and either-side brakes for railway trucks, and arrange for experiments with such couplings and brakes, in accordance with Section 15, Sub-sections 1, 2, and 3 of The Railway Employment (Prevention of Accidents) Act, 1900, with a view to their adoption.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEYes, Sir, steps will be taken to set up such a Committee at an early date, and I hope it may be possible to constitute it somewhat in the manner suggested.
§ * MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the possibility of enabling the Committee to test practically designs submitted by railway employees, who necessarily have the best knowledge of what is required, but who in most cases have not the necessary means to enable them to give a practical full-scale demonstration of their inventions?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEOf course; that is the object of the Committee.
§ * MR. ARTHUR LEEHave you the sanction of the Treasury to spend any money on this?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEYes. I have the sanction of the Treasury to expend a certain sum of money upon practical experiments.