§ Mr. Hawksleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence if the board of inquiry into the fire at COD Donnington on 24 June 1983 has reported; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyThe board of inquiry has now presented its findings to the appropriate military authorities. Neither the board nor the regional CID were able to identify the exact cause of the fire.
There is no evidence to suggest that the fire might have been started deliberately — as an act of sabotage or arson.
The report draws attention to certain weaknesses in the fire precautions in force at the depot. Many of these have already been rectified. Studies are in hand to examine the various options for the replacement of the shed which was destroyed. The future of the other shed at Donnington of similar size and internal layout is also under consideration.
The report has also raised a number of points which have implications for the whole of our storage estate. These include the use of compartmentation to reduce
Numbers receiving invalidity benefit Thousands 2 June 1979* 31 May 1980 30 May 1981 29 May 1982 Great Britain 609.7 609.4 628.0 678.4 England 464.8 464.0 468.3 504.1 Northern 58.1 60.8 58.9 62.8 Yorkshire and Humberside 63.5 63.9 64.2 67.8 East Midlands 33.7 33.9 33.6 36.7 East Anglia 11.3 11.1 13.9 15.2 South East 113.2 110.2 113.8 121.2 South Western 36.2 35.4 35.8 37.9 West Midlands 50.8 48.9 49.5 55.2 North Western 98.0 100.0 98.5 107.3 Scotland 75.9 78.1 88.3 95.0 Wales 69.0 67.3 71.3 79.3 * Figures include a small number of people not receiving invalidity benefit but claiming for credits purposes only.
§ Mr. Bellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will provide the total number of claimants receiving invalidity benefit per region of his Department who were given a medical examination by a regional medical officer from his Department in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 and the latest available figure for 1983;
(2) if he will provide the total number of claimants receiving invalidity benefit per region of his Department who were pronounced fit for full-time work following a medical examination by a regional medical officer in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 and the latest available figure for 1983;
(3) if he will provide the total number of claimants receiving invalidity benefit per region of his Department who were pronounced fit for part-time work following a medical examination by a regional medical officer in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and the latest available figure for 1983.
§ Mr. NewtonThe available information, as follows, includes claimants to sickness benefit as well as claimants to invalidity benefit. The analysis of the England figures is by reference to divisions of the regional medical service, not social security regions. I regret that this analysis is not
246Wlosses in the event of fire, as well as other technical measures. These aspects are linked to the review of the fire precautions in the three services of which I gave details in my recent answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) on 11 November 1983.—[Vol. 48, c. 271.]
A number of claims in connection with the fire have been lodged with the Department. Liability for these claims is being closely studied now that the board's report has been submitted.