§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment if he will make a statement on the accident that occurred at Thoresby colliery, Nottinghamshire on 12 October; what steps have been taken to identify the cause of the accident and lessons to be learned from it; and when the interim report of the mines inspectorate might be published. [37690]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordOn 12 October 1995 an incident occurred leading to the death of a mine worker at Thoresby mine, Nottinghamshire. HSE officials attended the incident immediately on notification.
The investigation into the case(s) of the incident has already began. It is being undertaken by the HSE's inspectorate of mines. Until this is complete and the findings known it would be inappropriate to speculate. Any recommendations that are made as the result of the investigation will be acted upon.
306WReports of investigations are not normally published and it is not planned to do so in this case. However, I will write to the hon. Member for Sherwood when the investigation has been completed.
The coroner will, of course, be conducting an inquest into the accident and this will be open to the public.
§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the accident records for each colliery for the first and second quarters of 1995. [37691]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordInformation for individual mines is not produced. Statistics for the industry are produced as an aggregate figure and published in the Health and Safety Commission annual report, copies of which are placed in the House Library. Figures for the first quarter January to March 1995 have not been validated and will not be confirmed until HSC's annual report is published in November 1995 at which stage they will appear in an aggregate table for the year. Figures for the second quarter April to June 1995 will not be available until November 1996.