The Earl of SELKIRKasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many inquiries would have been held in the years 1973 and 1974 respectively if Clause 1(1)(a)(i) of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry Bill had been in force during those years.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (Lord Kirkhill)It is not possible to ascertain from the statistics presently maintained how many inquiries would have been held in 1973 and 1974 if Clause 1(1)(a)(i) of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiries (Scotland) Bill had been in force during those years and the cost of obtaining such statistics now is prohibitive. In 1973 and 1974 the total number of fatal accidents inquiries held was as follows: 1973, 242; 1974, 233. Crown Office has estimated that, if Clause 1(1)(a)(i) of the Bill referred to had been in force in 1974, some 75 additional inquiries would have been held.