HC Deb 14 December 1989 vol 163 cc781-2W
Mr. Doran

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he has any proposals to introduce regulations or guidance relating to the installation of free-fall lifeboats on offshore oil and gas installations;

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates' court for illegal sales of tobacco and alcohol to children by police force area from 1984–88 England and Wales
Numbers proceeded against
Tobacco Alcohol
Police force area 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
Avon and Somerset 1 16 26 13 12 17
Bedfordshire 1 1 6 3 7
Cambridgeshire 1 2 1 4 9
Cheshire 1 2 8 10 15 10 30
Cleveland 1 7 4 2
Cumbria 1 8 16 10 5 20
Derbyshire 1 2 7 8 7 9 19
Devon and Cornwall 1 15 19 11 17 14
Dorset 13 11 16 5 4
Durham 3 8 4 12 14
Essex 2 1 1 1 5
Gloucestershire 1 1 1 7
Greater Manchester 7 7 4 3 17 20 20 40 92
Hampshire 1 10 7 10 13 14
Hertfordshire 1 8 4 5 5 11
Humberside 1 1 7 14 2 3 2
Kent 1 1 3 2 3 4
Lancashire 3 2 3 1 8 12 12 47 50
Leicestershire 3 1 2 4 1 8
Lincolnshire 3 2 4 10 12
Merseyside 1 1 1 10 15 2 8 6 9

(2) whether he has any proposals to introduce regulations or guidance in relation to the provision of the secondary evacuation equipment known as skyscape on offshore oil and gas installations.

Mr. Peter Morrison

In August 1989 my Department issued a statement of intent which included proposals to amend the Offshore Installations (Life-saving Appliances) Regulations 1976 to allow for the use of any approved method of launching lifeboats, including free-fall lifeboats.

The skyscape system has been accepted by the Department of Transport as a suitable means of escape to the sea and is being considered by a number of operators for use on new installations. The statement of intent proposes that there should be more specific guidance on means and location of descent to the sea.