§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will give an assurance that in addition to the Ministry of Defence inquiry into the collision of HMS "Achilles" and the tanker "Olympic Alliance" his Department will carry out a general investigation into the operation of the traffic separation scheme at the time of the accident and publish the results;
(2) if he will make available in the Library, with explanatory notes, copies of the coastguard radar record of vessels in the English Channel near HMS "Achilles" and the tanker" Olympic Alliance" at about the time of the collision.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisMy Department is already investigating this, and the radar record of the Dover Strait for the period covering the collision is being further analysed by the National Physical Laboratory. I shall consider what further information, if any, might be made available to the House when these studies are completed having regard to the fact that formal inquiries are to be held.
§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any vessels are recorded as being in contravention of the traffic separation system at the time of the collision of HMS "Achilles" and the 413W tanker "Olympic Alliance"; and whether it is possibly to identify any such vessels.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisShortly before the collision echoes of two contravening vessels were observed on radar at St. Margaret's Bay Coastguard Station and a warning broadcast was made. It is not considered feasible to identify such vessels at night and in poor visibility.