The Earl of Haddingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 31 March (WA 49), on how many occasions in each of the last two years rails of the permanent way through the Severn rail tunnel have been found to be cracked or damaged; and on how many occasions it has been brought to the attention of the Health and Safety Railway Inspectorate. [HL2452]
§ Lord WhittyIncidences of cracked or damaged rails are not statutorily reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. However, during the last two years there have been four incidents of broken rails in the Severn tunnel. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) informs me that its inspectors were aware of these incidents on each occasion.