§ 39. Mr. Foulkesasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what prosecutions have been completed resulting from the shipbreaking at Cairnryan.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThere have been two prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 arising out of the shipbreaking operations at Cairnryan. In one case fines totalling £1,500 were imposed while in the second proceedings are still pending in the sheriff court at Stranraer.
§ Mr. FoulkesDoes not the Solicitor-General for Scotland think it disgraceful that two people have been killed in the shipbreaking of the Ark Royal? Is he aware that in 1983 two prohibition notices have been served, one report has gone to the procurator fiscal, and eight warning letters have been issued from the Health and Safety Executive? Does that not show the sorry state of private enterprise operations at Cairnryan? Is it not the case that the Health and Safety Executive does not have enough men properly to police this matter to ensure an adequate oversight of it? What responsibility will his Department take for this sorry state of affairs?
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandMy hon. Friend the Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Lang) in whose constituency Cairnryan is situated took this matter up with the Minister of State, Department of Employment, my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) four or five months ago. The hearing into one of the deaths to which he referred is still pending before the sheriff's court at Stranraer. For good reasons that the hon. Gentleman will understand, I can make no further comment on that. With regard to my own responsibilities in this matter, I can tell the hon. Gentleman that in every case that has been referred to the procurator fiscal by the Health and Safety Executive arising out of these shipbreaking operations there has been a prosecution.
§ Mr. McQuarrieMy hon. and learned Friend said that a fine of £1,560 had been imposed. It was imposed on my constituent, Mr. Miles of Northern Shipbreakers company, which was responsible for the breaking-up of the Ark Royal. Will he accept, however, that that case has not been completed? The Department of Employment is currently looking into the actions of the Health and Safety Executive officers and the restrictions on the Ark Royal prior to the breaking-up.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThe operations of the Health and Safety Executive and the inquiries that my hon. Friend has made of the Department of Employment are not within my province. I am concerned only when such cases have been reported to the procurator fiscal. When those reports have been made, a prosecution has always resulted.