§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the findings of the inquiry into the fatal accident to the crew of the Tornado multi-role combat aircraft: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PymThe tri-national accident investigation committee that is inquiring into the loss of the Tornado development aircraft in the Irish sea on 12 June 1979, was convened by my Department on behalf of the NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development and Production Organisation (NAMMO) in accordance with accident investigation procedures jointly agreed by the three participating Governments, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. These procedures are124W based on NATO standardisation agreement 3531 to which all NATO nations are committed.
Under the agreed proceedures no part of the report of the proceedings of the accident investigation committee, nor any statement on it, may be published without prior joint consultation and agreement by the three partners. When the committee has completed its inquiries and NAMMO has reviewed the findings, I shall consider with our partners the question of publication. I cannot at the present time, of course, anticipate the outcome of the investigation.