HL Deb 12 January 1998 vol 584 c129WA
Viscount Exmouth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are now in a position to make public the report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch into the sinking of the "Pescado" off the Cornish coast in 1991.

Baroness Hayman

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) cannot formally complete a report while the matter is the subject of either a prosecution or an appeal. In the case of the "Pescado", the criminal prosecution of the owner and operator and the subsequent appeal process ended in March 1997.

The MAIB is now completing its report. In accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 1994, the final draft of the report will be sent to those whose reputation may be adversely affected. If passages in the report remain an issue, alternative text can be submitted to the MAIB within 28 days and these texts, if any, will be published as an appendix to the report. The report will then be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval to publish.