§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list for each financial year since 1978–79 the mean average time taken between a gas explosion and the receipt by his Department of the report from the gas board and the longest and shortest times taken to report in each year.
§ Mr. John MooreThe precise information requested is not available but my Department's gas standards branch generally receives from the British Gas Corporation telephone reports of serious incidents involving gas within 24 hours of the explosion.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many gas explosions have been reported by gas boards to his Department's gas safety branch in each financial year since 1978–79; in how many cases in each year prosecutions were mounted by the police; how many such prosecutions succeeded; in how many cases prosecutions were initiated by his Department; and how many of these were successful;
(2) if he will list for each financial year since 1978–79 the mean average time taken by his Department from the receipt of gas board reports into explosions before deciding whether or not to prosecute and the longest and shortest times taken by his Department in each year.
§ Mr. John MooreI will answer the hon. Member as soon as possible.