§ 30. Commander Sir Archibald Southbyasked the Minister of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the theft from the science and chemistry cupboard of a school at Woolston, Southampton, of a quantity of cyanide of potassium; and for what purpose so large a quantity of this dangerous poison was being kept on the premises in such a way that it was possible for it to be stolen.
§ Mr. ButlerYes, Sir. Schools providing courses in chemistry commonly carry a supply of cyanide of potassium which is used as a reagent. I understand that the quantity of this chemical kept at the school in question was not more than is usual and that reasonable precautions were taken to prevent access to it.
§ Sir A. SouthbyIs my right hon. Friend aware that it was stated that there was sufficient cyanide of potassium to kill 500 people, and that it was understood that the theft might have been committed by children? What steps is he taking to prevent this sort of thing happening in the future?
§ Mr. ButlerI thoroughly investigated this case, and found that the precautions taken were as good as could be expected in the circumstances. The whole of the cyanide was recovered by the police intact, and nobody was poisoned.
§ Mr. Craven-EllisIs my right hon. Friend aware that had this incident been of such a nature that it ought to have been brought to the public notice, it would have been so brought by one of the Members for Southampton?