HC Deb 13 July 1988 vol 137 c259W
Mr. Bill Walker

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements he intends to make with respect to payments of the Government's contribution to the Piper Alpha disaster fund.

Mr. Parkinson

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 8 July, the Government intend to contribute £1 million to the Piper Alpha disaster fund. Parliamentary approval for this expenditure will be sought in a Supplementary Supply Estimate for the Department of Energy's class VI, vote 2. Pending that approval, urgent payment of the full contribution will be made by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.