HC Deb 06 July 1989 vol 156 cc258-9W
Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the reasons for(a) making publicly available investigations into accidents involving aircraft and (b) not making publicly available those into accidents involving ships.

Mr. Portillo

Regulations are about to be laid before the House governing the investigation of accidents involving ships. Among other things these provide for the publication of reports or summaries of investigations.

This will put marine and aircraft investigations on broadly the same footing.

Mr. Barry Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish findings of the report into the incident involving the hydrofoil from Southampton on 27 November 1987.

Mr. Portillo

When the investigation into the incident is completed a summary report will be made public.

I cannot give a date for the release of this report as the investigation is still in progress.