§ Mr. McTaggartTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to ensure that all the debris from the Piper Alpha disaster is brought to the surface as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Secretary of State could require the removal of debris only in the context of an abandonment programme. As I explained to the House on 30 NovemberOfficial Report, columns 757 ans 764, before approving an abandonment programme subject to conditions, the Secretary of State must give the persons who submitted the programme an opportunity to make written representations about the proposed conditions (Petroleum Act 1987 section 4(3)). The conditions which the Secretary of State has proposed should be attached to his approval of the abandonment programme for Piper Alpha include: provisions that following survey, Occidental and its co-venturers shall if required by the Secretary of State move or remove from the sea bed such remains of the installations as he may direct. Given the character and size of the central debris pile and of the jacket members which it is proposed to topple, I do not think that total removal is likely to be practicable. The Secretary of State advised Occidental and its co-venturers on 1 December of the conditions that he proposed to attach to the approval of their abandonment programme.