LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, I beg leave to make a personal statement in correction of the OFFICIAL REPORT of Tuesday last, April 22. The noble Lord, Lord Lucas of Chilworth, had asked Her Majesty's Government when it was proposed to publish the report of the inquiry into the Lewisham train disaster, and as a supplementary question, I asked:
My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether the Report will be published before the conclusion of the present trial for manslaughter?995 Unfortunately, in the OFFICIAL REPORT [col. 850], because I was misheard, it was put down as:… will be published before the conclusion of the present Session.I have sent a correction to the Editor of Debates in the ordinary way, but as the poor train driver now has to face a second trial for the same thing, I feel that the matter is of sufficient public importance to make the correction in Hansard and to ask whether this report will be published before the conclusion of this unfortunate trial.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, as it was I who was answering the question of the noble Lord, Lord Saltoun, perhaps I may add one word by way of clarification. The report of the inquiry into this disaster will not be published whilst the case is still sub judice.