HC Deb 26 August 1907 vol 182 cc177-8
MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland a Question of which I have given private notice—namely, whether he has any facts to communicate to the House with reference to the inquiry which he told the House was going on into the explosion which took place at Lord Ashtown's shooting lodge.

MR. BIRRELL

No, Sir. The inquiry is going on, and the police are pursuing a great many chains of evidence, which we think may result in the satisfactory discovery of the perpetrator of this outrage; but it would not be convenient at this stage that I should make any statement to this House.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

Inasmuch as Parliament will rise in a day or two, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to state now whether, in view of the suspicious circumstances connected with this case, he will order a special inquiry, as was done in a similar ease with very satisfactory results in another part of Ireland quite recently?

MR. BIRRLL

I have already intimated that the Government are fully alive to the powers they possess, both under the Explosive Substances Act and otherwise, to direct an inquiry of the kind the hon. Member indicates, and I think it is quite possible that such an inquiry may result; but I am not in a position to say the Government are determined upon it at the present moment.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

Will the right hon. Gentleman be able to give us, before Parliament separates, some assurance upon this matter?

MR. BIRRELL

I was going to say I hoped not, but I do not think I shall have time to give a positive assurance upon that question before Parliament rises; but I shall be able to communicate the decision of the Government to the hon. Gentleman.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Pending the result of the inquiry, will the right hon. Gentleman see that Lord Ashtown does not leave the United Kingdom, as there is a very strong suspicion that he knows all about this matter?

MR. STANLEY WILSON (Yorkshire, E.R., Holderness)

Is there any truth in the suggestion that Lord Ashtown blew himself up?

MR. BIRRELL

I was not aware he was blown up.