§ Mr. SHORTasked the Home Secretary what action, if any, he proposes to take against Messrs. H. Andrews and R. V. Dawkins, the directors of the Premier Aluminium Casting Company, Limited, whose negligence was a contributing cause of the Dudley Port, Tipton, explosion, as indicated in the final Report of the court of inquiry?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have consulted the Director of Public Prosecutions on this matter, and he informs me that when proceedings for manslaughter were pending against the manager and fore, an of the factory he considered carefully whether there was evidence which would justify the institution of criminal proceedings against any other persons, and decided that the evidence available would not justify the inclusion of any other persons as defendants in the criminal proceedings. The two persons mentioned in the question were necessary witnesses for the prosecution and were called as such. The Director advises me that the legal position with regard to these persons is not altered by the evidence given by them at the trial, or by the facts set out in the Report, or by the terms of the finding.
1530W
§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Home Secretary whether, having regard to the findings of the court of inquiry into the cause of the Dudley Port, Tipton, explosion, he proposes to make more stringent the regulations governing the breaking up of ammunition, so that such disasters in the future may be avoided?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am considering whether further restrictions on the employment of young persons in dangerous processes should be included in a Bill now in course of preparation.