§ 39. Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Transport whether the inquiry into the Fakenham, Norfolk, railway accident has now been completed and whether he has received the report on it; and what is the number of inquiries into railway accidents that have been held in camera during the previous 10 years?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I understand that the inquiry into this railway accident has not yet been concluded, and I, therefore, have not yet received the report. As regards the point raised by my hon. Friend in the last part of his question, it has been the practice to hold inquiries in private in so far as that might be necessary to enable those giving evidence to give it without fear of prejudicing themselves or others in any subsequent criminal proceedings. I am not, however, able to state the exact number of occasions on which evidence has been taken in private.
§ Mr. MORRISONI understood that that was so from the report of the proceedings in the Press.