§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for a public inquiry into aviation authorities and passenger safety following investigations in the United States regarding the bombing of Pan Am flight 103.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe disaster itself is already the subject of a major police investigation, which covers the handling of the flight at Heathrow, including the aviation security aspects. The air accident investigation branch is investigating the immediate cause of the crash, and the Lord Advocate has announced that it is his view that a fatal accident inquiry should be held into the circumstances of the Lockerbie disaster deaths. In such an inquiry the sheriff is required to make findings as to the cause of the accident and any reasonable precautions whereby the deaths and accident might have been avoided, so far as they have been established to his satisfaction. Since the disaster, the Department has carried out a thorough review of its aviation security requirements, and a number of far-reaching improvements have been introduced or are in train. In addition the Transport Select Committee has184W examined airport security in the light of the disaster and published a very full report. In the circumstances, I do not consider any further inquiry to be necessary.