HC Deb 22 November 1971 vol 826 cc954-7
Dr. Dickson Mabon (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the serious incident on the vessel "Ocean Bridge" while in the Greenock Dry Dock on Friday, 19th November, which resulted in the death of two men and injury to others.

The Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Robert Carr)

I have been asked to reply.

I understand that the "Ocean Bridge", an oil tanker of 113,000 tons, was damaged in a fire at sea about five months ago. She was brought to the Clyde and taken first to a tanker cleaning berth. She entered dry dock for repairs about two weeks ago.

On Friday, 19th November a shipyard manager and a number of workmen went on board the "Ocean Bridge" while she was in dry dock at Scott Lithgow's yard on the Lower Clyde.

There appears to have been a sudden discharge of carbon dioxide gas—presumably that used in the fire-extinguishing system—into the engine room of the ship, asphyxiating the men who were working there. The manager and one other man died and 10 men were taken to hospital, one of whom had fractured his skull, probably in a fall.

There will be a fatal accident inquiry under Scottish law. Meanwhile the accident is being investigated by the Factory Inspectorate.

I am sure the House will join me in expressing profound sympathy with the relatives of those who have died, and with the injured.

Dr. Mabon

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for making that statement. I should like to associate my right hon. and hon. Friends and myself with the right hon. Gentleman's expression of sympathy to the widows and families, and to the injured men and their families.

May I ask the Minister whether he knows from the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the inquiry following the explosion to which he referred on this ship while at sea five months ago has been set up and, if it has been at work, when it might report? Perhaps he does not have the information today. If not, perhaps he will let us know in due course.

In particular, will the right hon. Gentleman make sure, either through the Lord Advocate, or through the Secretary of State, or by whatever process he likes, that the findings of the inquiry into the incident at sea are made known to the inquiry which he has announced today, so that if there is a common factor between the two incidents it can be taken into account?

Mr. Carr

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is right in suspecting that I do not know the answer to the first question, but I shall find it out and write to him about it. I shall certainly take into very close account the proposition which he has put forward and see that that, too, is conveyed to my right hon. Friend, and that close attention is paid to it.

Mr. Edward Taylor

Has my right hon. Friend considered what appears to be an increase in the incidence of accidents in ship repairing, as opposed to shipbuilding?

Second, there appear to have been remarkable acts of selfless bravery following this accident, and a tribute has been paid to them. Would my right hon. Friend and his colleagues make sure that in the Honours List account is taken of bravery in factories, as well as services elsewhere?

Mr. Carr

My hon. Friend will know that it would not be proper for me to reply in any specific terms to his last point, except to say that we are all aware of the great bravery which people show under these circumstances, and only a few months ago such bravery was recognised. I am aware of the increasing number of accidents, particularly on oil tankers, and that is one reason why every case must be particularly closely looked into.

Mr. Buchan

I should like to thank both sides of the House for their expressions of sympathy. As hon. Members know, both men who died were from my constituency. I take the point made by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward Taylor) on the particular incident of bravery involving one of these men.

I wonder whether the fatal accident inquiry will be able to generalise, as well as looking into particular problems. For example, will trade unions be able to be represented by counsel to see whether there is a general problem arising from this kind of ship which is likely to increase in future? That is one of the anxieties with which I hope the fatal accident inquiry will deal.

Mr. Carr

I do not think that it is for me to presume to say how a fatal accident inquiry should be conducted under Scottish law, but I shall make sure that the hon. Member's point is drawn to the attention of those concerned.