§ 12. Mr. Henry Bellingham(Con) (North-West Norfolk)When he next expects to meet the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the Potters Bar rail disaster. [152282]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Tony McNulty)The Secretary of State and other Transport Ministers have regular meetings with the Health and Safety Executive. In relation to Potters Bar, we are now awaiting a decision on potential manslaughter charges from the Crown Prosecution Service, which the hon. Gentleman knows is independent of Ministers.
§ Mr. BellinghamThe Minister and the Secretary of State know that the train that crashed at Potters Bar was on its way to King's Lynn in my constituency. The crash 617 was a tragedy for many families and a disaster for the railways. The HSE report made it clear that the crash was caused by poor maintenance. Have lessons been learned and what new procedures have been implemented? Can the Minister give me a categorical assurance that further accidents or crashes will not occur as a result of shoddy maintenance?
§ Mr. McNultyThe hon. Gentleman knows that the HSE investigation board reported in May 2003 and issued 26 recommendations, which are designed to make a positive difference to rail safety and, as he says, to prevent a similar accident from happening again. The investigation board has invited Her Majesty's railway inspectorate and Network Rail to a meeting on 11 February to discuss progress on implementing those recommendations, and the board will write to the bereaved and survivors after that meeting.