§ Mr. HUDSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can say why the inquiries to be held into the circumstances attending accidents to railwaymen at Wigan on 3rd February, Glasgow, Queenstreet, 4th February, Birmingham, Midland Railway, 10th February, and other places, are being delayed, while other similar cases of accident of a more recent date have been held?
The HON. MEMBERfurther asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange to have inquiries into the causes of accidents to railway men on duty held as fax as possible in order of date of occurrence, in order to give those employés who have to give evidence a fair opportunity of doing so?.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. H. J. Tennant)It is the practice, as fax as possible, to group the accidents into which inquiries have been ordered, with a view to saving time and expense, and I have no reason to think that such delays as may be caused thereby render it more difficult to obtain the necessary evidence. In one of the cases specified by the hon. Member, the man injured was not sufficiently recovered to be able to attend the inquiry on the date originally fixed, and the inquiry had, therefore, to be postponed. I will, however, ascertain whether there has been any avoidable delay in these cases, and I will see what steps can be taken to expedite the holding of inquiries.
§ Mr. HUDSONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that many of these cases are three months old, and that when an inquiry is appointed the men only get notice the night before or on the morning of the day of the inquiry?
§ Mr. TENNANTI was not aware of what the hon. Gentleman tells me, but I accept his statement.