§ Mr. LoydenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will initiate an up to date report into the arrangements to undertake the second survey of the MV Derbyshire wreckage field; [31270]
(2) for what reasons his Department has refused to form a formal partnership with the technical advisers to the Derbyshire Families Association. [31271]
§ Mr. NorrisThe return expedition to the wreck of the Derbyshire will take place in two phases. The first phase will be a limited sonar and photographic survey of the wreckage field, to be carried out in late June or early July by Oceaneering Technologies, who undertook the initial 497W expedition in 1994. It is expected that the main expedition will take place early next year. The Department of Transport and the European Commission are sharing the costs of both phases.
The first phase will involve a detailed survey of the wreckage field with the aim of identifying individual parts of the ship and, in particular, to establish the location and accessibility of the ship's stern. The material collected is intended to assist in the detailed planning of the main expedition.
The purpose of the return to the Derbyshire is to see what lessons can be learnt from the loss of this particular ship which could help avoid future bulker losses and the continuing loss of life such losses involve. Planning and control of both phases rests with the three independent technical assessors. Ministry of Defence officials will act as project managers overseeing the activities of the appointed contractor or contractors.
On completion of the second phases, they will prepare a report on their findings and conclusions which will be submitted to Ministers and the European commission. Their report will be published and, following its completion, the data recovered will be made available to interested parties.
It is possible that this report may lead to the reopening of the formal Investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire and the taking forward of specific safety initiatives through the International Maritime Organisation.
We have given sympathetic consideration to the request from the Derbyshire Families Association that they should be represented on, or have a degree of control over, the return to the ship. We have concluded that this would not be appropriate. The association is one of a number of parties with an interest in the outcome of the return expedition. For one of these parties, but not the others, to be represented on the return expedition could lead to suggestions that the findings lacked balance or objectivity., For all the parties to be represented on the return would be impractical given the nature of the operations to be undertaken. To allow the independent assessors to complete their task, without any risk that they could be considered to have been influenced in any way, it has also been decided that the Department of Transport, Marine Safety Agency and Marine Accident Investigation Branch will not be represented on either phase of the return.
We continue to welcome the advice and involvement of all parties in the planning of the return. The independent technical assessors stand ready to discuss matters with any interested party.
§ Mr. LoydenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of each technical expert who has been engaged to take part in the second survey of the MV Derbyshire wreckage field. [31272]
§ Mr. NorrisThe following are expected to be on board the survey vessel carrying out phase 1 of the return expedition.
498W
- Dr. Remo Torchio: EU technical assessor
- Robin Williams: UK technical assessor
- Professor Douglas Faulkner; UK technical assessor
- Morgyn Davies: Ministry of Defence salvage officer and project manager
- Steve Quin: Ministry of Defence, salvage officer.