HC Deb 08 April 1935 vol 300 cc796-7
47. Miss RATHBONE

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that it has now been established that written records exist of the evidence of a number of important witnesses before the 1918 McKinnon Wood inquiry, and in view of the important bearing of that evidence on the work of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Private Manufacture of Arms, he will cause further search to be made for the complete evidence and will cause it to be published?

The PRIME MINISTER

I have had careful inquiry made. No verbatim record appears to have been made of the evidence taken by this committee. Copies have been found, however, of certain of the minutes of the committee, and these will be made available to the Royal Commission if they wish it.

Mr. THORNE

Will it be possible for Members of the House to have copies of these minutes? I think I was a member of the inquiry, and I am unable to find them.

Miss RATHBONE

Will the Prime Minister consider making the minutes available to the general public, as copious extracts have been published in a pamphlet by Dr. Gilbert Slater, and the public would wish to know the remainder of the evidence?

The PRIME MINISTER

In that case the evidence is available.