§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate, in each of the last five years (a) what has been the total number of fatal accident inquiries in Scotland and (b) of that number how many in each year have resulted from fatal accidents arising out of industrial employment.
The Lord Advocate(a) The latest year for which official statistics are available is 1974, and accordingly the figure for 1975 is a provisional one. During the five year period from 1971 to 1975, the total number of fatal accident inquiries in Scotland was as follows:
1975 241 (provisional figure) 1974 233 1973 242 1972 201 1971 209 (b) As the figures are not separately maintained, it is not possible to specify without unreasonable expenditure how many of those inquiries have resulted from accidents arising out of industrial employment. The most reliable estimate which can be given in this respect is that approximately 55 per cent. of the inquiries in any year are held as required by the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1895—that is, in respect of fatal accidents arising out of industrial employment.
§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate what has been the total cost in each of the last five years of the holding of fatal accident inquiries in Scotland.
The Lord AdvocateI regret that the information necessary to answer this Question is not separately recorded and cannot be obtained without unreasonable expenditure.
§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate what has been the total number of days required in each of the last five years for the hearing of fatal accident inquiries in Scotland.
The Lord AdvocateI regret that the information necessary to answer this30W Question is not separately recorded and cannot be obtained without unreasonable expenditure.
§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Lord Advocate how many fatal accident inquiries he has ordered in each of the last five years.
The Lord AdvocateIn answer to another Question by the hon. Gentleman today, I have given information on the total number of fatal accidents inquiries held in Scotland in the years 1971 to 1975. I have also explained that it is not possible to specify how many of these inquiries have resulted from accidents arising out of industrial employment. For the same reasons it is not possible to specify how many fatal accidents inquiries have been held under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1906. The most reliable estimate which can be given in this respect is that approximately 45 per cent. of the inquiries held in any year are held under the 1906 Act—that is, those instructed by me in the exercise of my statutory discretion.