§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the recent air disaster involving many British families, he will seek to ascertain from the Turkish Government the arrangements ments made for insurance by the owners 23W of the DC10 aircraft which crashed near Paris, and offer advice to the relatives of those killed on the procedures to be followed in making claims for compensation.
§ Mr. ShoreI have asked my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to approach the Turkish Government. As regards compensation the legal personal representatives of those who lost their lives would be wise to seek legal guidance at the earliest possible moment.
§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to ensure that the interests of British families whose relatives were killed in the recent Turkish airliner crash near Paris are adequately represented at the inquiry into the cause of the disaster and at other negotiations on the insurance and compensation implications.
§ Mr. ShoreThe inquiry into the accident to the Turkish Airlines DC10 is being conducted by a French commission of inquiry and a senior member of the staff of the Chief Inspector of Accidents has been permitted to be present during its deliberations as United Kingdom observer. There is no provision under the French procedure for passengers to be represented in this technical inquiry into the cause of the accident, such as exists under our own public inquiry procedure. There is, on the other hand, a separate judicial inquiry conducted by ajuge d'instruction who is empowered to investigate and establish any penal responsibility in all cases of death or injury sustained through imprudence or negligence.
I am advised that there is a procedure available under French law whereby representations could be made to the juge d'instruction through a French avocat by any person who considers that he may have a claim. There are no arrangements for Her Majesty's Government to represent the interests of the passengers collectively at the judicial inquiry.
As regards compensation and insurance, the legal personal representatives of those who lost their lives would be well advised to seek legal guidance at the earliest possible moment.