HC Deb 16 November 1989 vol 160 cc395-6W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what stage the police were informed about the incident in which Mark Woodward was drowned at Ilfracombe on 16 August.

Mr. McLoughlin

The police were informed at 16.44 local time.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, how far the lifeboat had to travel to respond to the incident at Ilfracombe in which Mark Woodward was drowned; and whether this rate of response meets the criteria used by his Department to assess suitable response times.

Mr. McLoughlin

From the launching slip to the location of the incident was a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile. To reach the launching slip the Ilfracombe lifeboat has to proceed by road from the boat house, also a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile. From advising the lifeboat launching authority to lifeboat on scene was 13 minutes.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, from which document he is quoting in his reference to reports of a person on the rocks, cut off by tide; and whether this reference to a single person affected is confirmed by other sources.

Mr. McLoughlin

Two almost simultaneous reports, one direct, the other re-routed from Milford Haven, were received at Swansea. The first suggested two persons cut off by tide, the second indicated a single person. All references are recorded in coastguard logs.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 31 October,Official Report, column 135, whether the times of 16.20, 16.24, 16.35 and 16.41 to which he refers are log times or electronic tape times.

Mr. McLoughlin

Log times.