§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the progress that has been made on the inquiry into the fatal accident involving a helicopter which crashed into Llanberis lake in August 1993; what changes in safety regulations have been made following the inquiry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesThe board of inquiry process into the accident is continuing. RAF boards of inquiry are necessarily comprehensive and exhaustive to ensure all circumstances are investigated. The board has been protracted by the complex nature of the technical investigation carried out by the air accident investigation branch. In the meantime, a number of precautionary engineering inspections have been introduced. As explained in the letter from the then Under-Secretary of State for Defence of 13 August 1993, an advance copy of the military aircraft accident summary will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.