§ 19. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Transport whether he will give an instruction to the British Railways Board to include a full report on the causes and consequences of the Hither Green disaster in its report for 1968.
§ Mr. CarmichaelNo, Sir. It is for the Railways Board to decide what to include in its Annual Report.
§ Sir G. NabarroHas not the Minister of Transport a direct Parliamentary responsibility for rail safety? As the Railways Board conveniently omitted to include details of the consequences of this major rail disaster in its 1967 Report, should not the Minister accept responsibility for publishing the details in the 1968 Report or otherwise?
§ Mr. CarmichaelMy right hon. Friend does not have the responsibility to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The Chief Inspector of Railways made his inquiry into this terrible accident and the Report was published on 11th September this year. There is a copy of the Report in the Library. The investigations were still proceeding while the Railways Board Report for 1967 was at the printers. What goes in the Report is entirely a matter for the Railways Board.