GLASGOW SHOPPING CENTRE (EXPLOSION) (Hansard, 22 October 1971)

§ Mr. Clark Hutchison
I am asking this Question on behalf of the hon. Member for Renfrew, East (Miss Harvie Anderson), who could not ask it herself and who, in any event, flew to Glasgow last night to give help and comfort to her constituents.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Education, Scottish Office (Mr. Hector Monro)
I have been asked to reply, and I appreciate the reasons for my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrew, East (Miss Harvie Anderson) wishing to be with her constituents at this time. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland flew to the scene of the accident yesterday evening and is at present engaged in meetings in Scotland.
At about 3 p.m. yesterday a violent explosion occurred in Busby Road, Clarkston, Renfrewshire, causing extensive damage in a row of single-storey shops, the roof of which was used for parking cars. A full report on the occurrence is not yet to hand but it appears that at least 13 persons were killed; 57 people have been treated in hospital, of whom 30 are still detained. Police, fire brigade, ambulance and gas board services were quickly on the scene, and rescue work continued right through the night. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Agriculture, Scottish Office, visited the scene as well as the Secretary of State. They have asked me to pay tribute to the prompt, efficient and tireless work 1084 of the various rescue services, including the W.R.V.S., the Salvation Army, the workmen who manned the heavy rescue equipment and the medical and nursing staff of the hospitals to which the injured were taken.
I am sure that the House will wish to express its sympathy with all who were bereaved or injured in this dreadful accident.
It is too soon to state the cause of the accident, but my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate will instruct an inquiry under the Fatal Accident Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1895. The conduct of the inquiry as provided by the Act will be the responsibility of the Sheriff of Renfrew and Argyll.

§ Mr. Clark Hutchison
I thank my hon. Friend for that statement and associate myself, my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrew, East and, I am sure, all Members of the House with the expression of sympathy.
I have one or two small questions. Could my hon. Friend ensure that anybody who is in financial need as a result of this terrible accident is taken care of? Secondly, could he say anything about the nature of the gas itself? Thirdly, does he know that the hon. Member for Renfrew, East telephoned me this morning confirming exactly what he said about the splendid work of the rescue services? Lastly, is he aware that I personally know the chairman of the gas board, Mr. Ronald Parker, who is an able and competent friend, and who, I am sure, will put all the resources at his command to finding out the cause of and the reasons for this accident.

§ Mr. Monro
I thank my hon. Friend for those remarks. In relation to financial hardship, staff of the social work department of Renfrew County Council were present at the school where the casualties were taken last night, and are fully involved in helping those in need. Though we must not prejudge any inquiry, one should point out that the gas in that area is town or coal gas, and not natural gas.
I would support what was said by the hon. Lady the Member for Renfrew, East on the telephone to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South, and I would also like to say what tremendous help was provided by the general public, 1085 who acted with great speed and courage throughout this dreadful event. The chairman of the gas board in Scotland has set up his own inquiry, which is, of course, quite separate from that set up by the Lord Advocate.

§ Mr. Millan
On behalf of my right hon. and hon. Friends, may I add my sympathy to the relatives of those who have been killed in this appalling accident, and best wishes for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured? May I also add my tribute to the work of the various public services—the police, the fire brigade, the ambulance and hospital services—and not least to the rescue workers who, I understand, are still working in very unpleasant and hazardous conditions? We are also grateful to the Secretary of State and his hon. Friend for going to the scene of the accident, and we appreciate fully why the hon. Member for Renfrew, East (Miss Harvie Anderson) is not able to be here this morning, having herself gone to the scene.
As for the public inquiry, the hon. Gentleman will realise that there will be considerable amount of public concern about this accident, not just the accident itself but the implication of it. Can he confirm what I think is the position, that the fatal accident inquiry, when it is established, not only will be able to investigate the reasons for the accident but will be able to go further and consider the wider implications of it, by which I mean such matters as the positioning of gas mains, the type of structure involved in the buildings, and so on, and be able to make recommendations about those matters as well? In doing so, can the hon. Gentleman also confirm that the fatal accident inquiry will be able to call for all the expert technical evidence that it may require to come to a conclusion? If the hon. Gentleman is able to confirm those matters, he will allay a certain amount of public anxiety.

§ Mr. Monro
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. It is important to emphasise how satisfactory was the operation of the major disaster plan in the West of Scotland, which went into action very quickly and co-ordinated all the services. No praise is too high for its work last night, and it is continuing this morning.
The sheriff who will conduct the inquiry has complete powers to investi- 1086 gate everything that he wishes, and I am sure that his recommendations will include anything to do with future safety, though, of course, we must not prejudge the reasons for the explosion.