HC Deb 19 January 1993 vol 217 cc178-9W
Mr. Stephen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many collisions occurred in the English channel in the last five years; and what reasons were established for them.

Mr. Norris

To establish the number of accidents in any sea area would entail a great deal of research. To add to that the task of manually listing each accident and the reason for it would entail staff time and resources at disproportionate cost.

Data for 1991 onwards is being input into a recently installed, computerised accident database in the marine accident investigation branch. This will allow information as requested to be provided for accidents which occurred during and after 1991.