HC Deb 24 April 1917 vol 92 cc2219-20
36. Colonel YATE

asked the Minister of Munitions who was the official responsible for laying down the necessary precautions to be observed in the factory when it was decided to manufacture high explosives in the heart of East London and for ensuring that those precautions were duly carried out; and who was the official responsible for the accumulation of explosives in the factory at the time the explosion occurred?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Sir L. Worthington Evans)

My hon. and gallant Friend is aware that in the emergency of the War the Government was compelled to use all possible facilities for the manufacture of explosives and in some cases they were unavoidably in centres of population. Every effort has been made to minimise risk. My right hon. Friend, as Minister of Munitions, accepts full responsibility in the matter.

Colonel YATE

Is there no official responsible for laying down the necessary precautions or preventing undue accumulations of explosives?

Sir W. EVANS

The hon. and gallant Member must realise that it would be quite unfair to mention names in this connection without at the same time being able to apportion responsibility, which would be quite impossible in answer to a question.

Sir PHILIP MAGNUS

May I ask whether the factories in which these explosions occurred were periodically inspected by scientific experts?

Sir W. EVANS

Certainly.