HL Deb 22 June 1973 vol 343 cc1581-2

11.15 a.m.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

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 what conclusions they have drawn from, and what action they propose to take on, the Report on Diver Training and Performance Standards submitted by the Society for Underwater Technology one year ago.

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, the Report has been studied by the Department of Employment and has been found most useful by the Department in its consideration of training and safety issues in the area of Diver Training.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord. Can I ask him, in particular, whether the Department has given due attention to paragraph 16 of that Report urging some system of registration and enforcement to ensure the maintenance of adequate training and operation standards of deep-water diving?

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, I can certainly say that the Department has considered that section of the Report.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, could the noble Lord also say whether, beyond considering, the Department is reaching a decision both on that and on the requirement, to which attention was drawn in the Report, that there should now be work on deep-water diving beyond 200 feet? In regard to the latter, the other day there was diving in 419 feet on Block 319 when divers went down and replaced the guidelines of a well-head; this has not been achieved hitherto. Is it not a matter of urgency that the Government should organise and study this situation?

THE EARL OF GOWRIE

My Lords, the whole Free World will have been made forcibly and tragically aware in recent days of the special perils of those who occupy their business in the deep. The Report recognised that more research was needed into the safety and training in this area. The Government accept this entirely and will press ahead with reviewing the situation.