§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he uses in deciding whether or not to order a public inquiry into railway accidents.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe criteria include the severity of the accident, in terms of loss of life or serious injury to passengers, railway staff, or others; where the accident forms part of a trend with potentially serious consequences; where the cause is unclear or there is doubt about the proper functioning of equipment or operational procedures; and where there is a need if appropriate to reassure the public about the safety of rail traffic and there is no reasonable alternative to a public inquiry available to achieve these purposes.