§ Sir Fergus MontgomeryTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of apparent new material relating to the loss of the Derbyshire, if he will reopen the formal investigation into the loss; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindThe material, which included a paper written by the late Professor Bishop and his colleagues and318W an underwater film of the Kowloon Bridge, has been examined by the marine accident investigation branch. I have now received the chief inspector's conclusion. He advises, and I have accepted his advice, that the material does not warrant the reopening of the court of formal investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire. The chief inspector has set out his conclusions and the reasons for them in a letter to me, and I am placing a copy in the Library.
I do appreciate the concerns expressed in some quarters about bulk carrier safety. There is currently work going on at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on this topic. The Department of Transport is making a contribution to that work, particularly in the area of investigation into cargo liquefaction. The attention of the International Maritime Organisation will also be drawn to the theories of Professor Bishop and his team.