§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their views on the recommendations of the "Marchioness" inquest jury.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen)I have placed a paper setting out the Government's views on the recommendations of the "Marchioness" inquest jury in the Library of the House. The Government agree with the majority of the jury's 12 recommendations. In many cases, existing rules and guidelines already meet the jury's proposals. In those cases where recommendations are aimed at other agencies, the Government are pursuing the recommendations with the agencies in question.
The jury endorsed the earlier recommendations of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the "Marchioness" sinking, together with the recommendations of the report of the inquiry into river safety by Mr. John Hayes. All of the recommendations in the MAIB' s report have since been implemented. Action has also been taken on the recommendations of the Hayes report and an updated statement of the position is included in the paper published today.