§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the accident on the A1 road at Cockburnspath, Berwickshire, on 2 March; what chemicals were carried on the vehicle involved and whether this material is subject to safety regulations; and what was the nature of the toxic fumes which affected people in the area after the accident.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI understand that a vehicle struck a bungalow near the A1 coast road at Cockburnspath on 2 March and its load may have been ignited by a damaged electric meter in the porch. The chemical being carried was a co-polymer of butadiene, styrene and methyl methacrylate. This material is not included in the United Nations list of dangerous substances for transport purposes. It is, however, combustible and when ignited produces dense black smoke, which in this case appears350W to have affected a number of people in the area. The incident is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.