HL Deb 14 November 1972 vol 336 cc596-7

2.50 p.m.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the finding of the Inquiry into the recent SRN 6 hovercraft accident.

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, the report of the Inquiry into the casualty on March 4, 1972, involving an SRN 6 hovercraft is now in the final stages of preparation. The report, which has involved a great deal of research, is confidential, but a statement on its findings will be made before the Christmas Recess.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his reply. He would agree, I am sure, that in the interests of the industry it is vital to restore any lack of confidence that may exist in any users of hovercraft. Could my noble friend say what steps, if any, have been taken to modify the craft? Secondly, what limits of service have been imposed in certain weather conditions?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot anwer those questions without notice and, if I may say so, it is probably better to await the statement which is to be made.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, is not the real trouble that a hovercraft is neither flesh, fowl, nor good red herring and thus falls rather between two stools—thoroughly to mix metaphors. If the craft was a sea-going vessel there would be no need to publish any such report, but if it was an aircraft it would be statutory and necessary to do so. In view of the fact that the hovercraft industry is very much younger than that of navigation on the sea, would it not be better if we treated it, so far as publication of reports go, in the same way in which we deal with aircraft so that we can get a great deal more experience and confidence in this new method of travel.

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I note what the noble Lord says, but even so far as aircraft are concerned an accident investigation report is only required to be published "unless there are other reasons to the contrary", so in both cases there is not an absolute obligation to publish.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, can my noble friend estimate how soon the statement will be made?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, I have said that I hope it will be made before Christmas, but I am afraid that I cannot be more accurate than that.

LORD TREFGARNE

My Lords, in view of the widespread interest in this incident, and accepting that the Government have no obligation to publish the accident report, why, none the less, is it not going to be published? And who has prepared it?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, the report is made by an officer appointed for that purpose. In general, the reason for not publishing reports is to give the officer the greatest possible freedom in expressing views which he might be inhibited from expressing if he knew that the report was going to be published. As I said, in this case there have been special factors, including the need to obtain certain important scientific and technical information.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether this is yet another example of the more open government we were promised by the Conservatives?

LORD DRUMALBYN

My Lords, in many cases we follow the normal procedure and we make improvements where possible.