§ Sir HILDRED CARLILEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a reply from the Midland Railway Company to the charges of alleged want of consideration for certain of their employés; and when, in view of the public issues involved, he will be able to publish the correspondence?
Mr. ROBERTSONAllegations have been made to the Board of Trade that in a number of cases employés of the Midland Railway Company have been penalised for having left their work in August, 1911, and that the company have thereby committed a breach of the agreement under which the strike on the railways was then settled. The company deny the allegations, and both parties have asked my right hon. Friend for a formal expression of opinion as to whether there has or has not been a breach of the agreement. This expression of opinion my right hon. Friend is willing to give under the agreement, but there is a conflict of statements as to matters of fact which it is necessary to clear up by further inquiry, and he has therefore appointed Mr. J. R. Atkin, K.C., to make such inquiry on his behalf, and to report 1325W the result to him. When he has received that Report he will consider the question of publication.