§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which statements made by the crew members of the Bowbelle to officers of the Metropolitan police on 20 August 1989 in connection with its sinking of the Marchioness were sent(a) without request, (b) after request (c) were not sent at all to the inspectors of the marine accident investigation branch of the Department of Transport for the purposes of its inquiry; on what dates such statements, or a refusal to do so, were dispatched; and if such statements were sent in full. [19778]
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 18 April 1995]: The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that no statements were taken by his officers from crew members of the Bowbelle on 20 August 1989.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to relatives of the deceased the file of evidence on the Marchioness disaster sent by the City of London police to the Crown Prosecution Service to enable it to consider whether or not the evidence contained therein was sufficient to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for an offence reflected in the loss of life; and if he will list the evidence not contained in that file which was accepted as proper evidence for the jury in the inquest recently concluded. [19777]
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 18 April 1995]: I understand that the police investigation in this case was carried out by the Metropolitan police, not the City of London police. It is not police practice to disclose evidence submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service. The conduct of the inquest is entirely a matter for the coroner.