§ Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will bring forward proposals to ensure in relation to industrial major accident hazard sites situated within 25 km of international airports(a) that all vessels containing scheduled toxic substances stored under pressure are constructed so as to prevent rupture in the event of direct impact by a large aircraft and (b) that off-site emergency plans fully address the consequences of catastrophic failure of pressure vessels consequent on direct impact by large aircraft.
§ Mr. McLoughlinMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to introduce requirements for such pressure vessels to withstand this kind of impact. Installations which are assessed by the Health and Safety Executive as representing a potential major hazard are constructed and operated within a strict legislative regime.The probability of such impacts is assessed as being very small.
Local authorities with installations governed by the Control of Major Accident Hazards (CIMAH) Regulations 1984 within their boundaries are required to prepare detailed emergency off-site plans which would take account of the catastrophic failure of pressure vessels.