§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will order an inquiry into the incident on 3rd May when the petroleum tanker "Britt" collided with the methane gas terminal jetty on Canvey Island in order to establish why the tanker was mishandled close to a known major industrial hazard; how many such collisions in the vicinity of the terminal have occurred in the last three years; whether any of these have resulted in prosecutions and with what results; and what action has been taken to tighten up navigation procedures and safety regulations in the estuary, especially in regard to foreign vessels.
§ Dr. GilbertI have been asked to reply.
252WThe Port of London Authority has established the circumstances of this incident, and the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission tells me that he does not propose to hold a formal inquiry.
In the last three years there have been two other incidents in the vicinity of the terminal, one a collision and the other a grounding. Proceedings were started in the former case but have not yet been concluded. The present navigational procedures and safety regulations in the Thames provide a high standard of safety, and the authority has the situation continually under review. The need for national regulations controlling the movement and storage of hazardous substances in harbour areas is being studied.