Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Mining Industry. – in the House of Commons am ar 7 Rhagfyr 1926.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Peebles and Southern
asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that further evidence has been given since the first report issued by his inspecting officer on the St. Margaret's, Edinburgh, railway disaster; if he is aware of the supplementary report; and will he order another inquiry into the accident?
Lieut-Colonel Wilfrid Ashley
, New Forest and Christchurch
I am aware that the evidence given at the inquiry into this accident has subsequently been found to be inaccurate in one respect. This point was dealt with in the supplementary report made by the inspecting officer, who, as stated in that report, does not consider that it affects the conclusions he arrived at and the recommendations he made in his original report. I see no grounds for any further inquiry.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Peebles and Southern
Is it not a fact that it was the same individual who made the monstrous charge against the railwaymen who gave wrong information to the inspecting officer, and under the circumstances, seeing that the people of Scotland have now no faith in the inspecting officer, who would not visit the locus of the accident—
Mr John Whitley
, Halifax
The hon. Member is putting a speech into a question.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Peebles and Southern
Will the right hon. Gentleman be prepared, in view of all these facts, to institute a new inquiry so as to re-establish confidence in his inspecting officer's report?
Lieut-Colonel Wilfrid Ashley
, New Forest and Christchurch
No, because the alleged statement on the part of one of the officials of the railway company has nothing to do with the finding of the inspecting officer. That evidence was given in the course of the inquiry, but it in no way affected the inquiry, which was to find out the cause of the accident.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Peebles and Southern
Is it not a fact that if they had knowledge of the working of the block system no accident need have taken place?
Lieut-Colonel Wilfrid Ashley
, New Forest and Christchurch
Yes. He is an old and valued officer of the Ministry. No such suggestion has ever been made before and there is no ground for it.
Mr John Whitley
, Halifax
The hon. Member, in putting supplementary questions, made a statement which carried with it some imputations. It was right for a further question to be put on that point. He cannot debate the whole matter now. He has put one or two long supplementaries.
Mr Joseph Westwood
, Peebles and Southern
On a point of explanation. I did not charge the inspecting officer with doing anything. I charged Major Stemp.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
