§ 3.58 p.m.
§ LORD LEATHERSMy Lords, by leave of the House, I should like to make the following statement. In reply to a Private Notice Question on December 5 last, I informed your Lordships that His Majesty's Government proposed to hold an inquiry under Section 23 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, into the tragic accident at Gillingham, in which a number of cadets were killed and injured. At that time we had no detailed information about the accident and could not tell what future developments there might be. Since then, as your Lordships will be aware, the driver of the motor bus concerned has been prosecuted on a charge of dangerous driving, and in the course of these proceedings all the circumstances of the accident have been thoroughly and impartially examined in public. The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court before a High Court Judge, sitting with a jury.
It has accordingly been necessary to reconsider the desirability of holding any further inquiry, in pursuance of the powers under Section 23 of the Act of 196 1930, into the cause of this accident. The cause has already been determined by the criminal proceedings brought against the driver. Apart from the human implications for all concerned, Her Majesty's Government have reached the conclusion that no useful purpose would be served by holding an administrative inquiry which could only cover the same ground as that already covered by judicial proceedings.
§ 3.59 p.m.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords may I, by way of a supplementary question, ask the Secretary of State this? Though, of course, I fully understand that the fact that the driver has been prosecuted and tried does put the matter in a different light, and though in those circumstances I should not for a moment desire to hold the noble Lord to the undertaking which he gave, because the circumstances are now fresh. I feel that there are features in this case which still need consideration—at least, ministerial consideration. I hope that that need will not be lost sight of. First of all, there is the question of the very poor lighting of the place: that seems to me a matter which merits consideration. Secondly, I think there is a fundamental question as to whether it is not desirable that some rule should be promulgated to the effect that, where men or boys are marching along a road in the dark, they should take the precaution of showing a light behind them. I believe that that has for long been the practice of the Guards when they march to the Bank of England, and it seems to me an eminently sensible precaution. I do not know whether it can be enforced by rule or regulation, or how it should be done, but I very much hope that the Secretary of State will lend the great weight of his authority to seeing that that precaution is observed. I would commend this matter to the noble Lord and to the Minister for consideration of both those aspects. I hope we are not to understand that, merely because there is not to be a formal inquiry, this matter is not going to form the subject of close and careful ministerial consideration in one form or another.
§ LORD LEATHERSMy Lords, I should like to assure the House that all the points that have arisen throughout 197 these proceedings, including those which have been mentioned by the noble and learned Earl, will be thoroughly tested out in every possible way. I should also like to say that all three Service Departments have now issued instructions to the effect that troops marching on the road shall have look-out men posted at a suitable distance in front and rear and shall carry lanterns at night. These things are happening now. Very careful study will be made of all that emerges out of these inquiries and the trial, to see that everything which can be done will be done to ensure that there is no recurrence of such a sad happening.