§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many witnesses were called by the board of inquiry investigating the Grenadier accident at Batus, Canada on 7 July 1989, to give evidence as to the proper execution of safety procedures and of safety briefings to Grenadier Guardsmen Adrian Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonNone. The board of inquiry was able to reach conclusions based on written evidence without conducting interviews.
§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, at the proposed meeting between his Department and the legal representatives of the injured guardsmen, he will make it his policy to disclose the full content of the board of inquiry report and to accede to a request to reopen the board of inquiry.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt is not the practice to release the proceedings of boards of inquiry to outside parties, but officials will, of course, make every effort to answer any questions about the circumstances of the accident at Batus that the solicitors representing the three Guardsmen may put. If a request is made at the meeting to re-open the board of inquiry we shall consider this on its merits and in the light of other means of obtaining any necessary information.