§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will meet the costs of legal representation for the relatives of victims of the Lockerbie disaster at the forthcoming Scottish fatal accident inquiry.
§ Mr. ParkinsonYes. I am writing to the Secretary of the Lockerbie air disaster group of solicitors' firms to say that my Department will meet the reasonable costs incurred on behalf of the British relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie disaster by one team of legal representatives in carrying out the necessary work in preparing for and attending the inquiry.
This offer of financial assistance reflects the exceptional nature of the disaster, a crime perpetrated by international terrorists which resulted in the destruction of a large passenger aircraft in British air space. There are therefore very special reasons for departing from the practice that relatives' costs are not met in fatal accident inquiries or inquests.