HC Deb 08 March 1927 vol 203 cc1025-6
23. Mr. T. HENDERSON

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the reports made by and issued to the Glasgow Town Council, by a committee appointed by the council, regarding the condition of certain tenement property situated in Marlow Street, Tradeston, Glasgow, where a disaster occurred involving the death of several persons; whether the procurator-fiscal of the city of Glasgow was aware of the reports of the above-mentioned committee; and, if not, will he order the procurator-fiscal to reconsider his decision not to take proceedings at law against the municipal authority or the owners of the property in question?

The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. William Watson)

No reports regarding the property referred to by the hon. Member were made by or issued to the Glasgow Town Council by any committee appointed by the council. In August, 1922, an unofficial committee consisting of certain members of the Building Trades Federation, the Glasgow Trades Council, and Housing Association, made a report recommending that a chimney stack at 26, Marlow Street, should be rebuilt, which was afterwards done. That was not the chimney stack which caused the disaster referred to by the hon. Member, and no report regarding the latter was made by the body in question. In these circumstances, I see no reason to reconsider the decision arrived at by Crown Counsel, on a report by the procurator-fiscal, that no proceedings should be taken.

Mr. HENDERSON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the report concerning the property referred to in the question was sent to the town clerk, Sir John Lindsay, and was well known to the town council and to the owners of the property, and in the circumstances is he not prepared to have an inquiry into the whole question of this disaster in Marlow Street?

The LORD ADVOCATE

If the hon. Member had paid closer attention to nay answer he would have appreciated that the only report made was the one referred to relating to the chimney stack at 26, Marlow Street, and that particular chimney stack has been repaired and it is not the one that caused the disaster.

Mr. HENDERSON

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question on the Motion for the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.