HC Deb 08 July 2003 vol 408 cc687-8W
Mr. Djanogly

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce with the Health and Safety Commission a decision on whether to hold a public inquiry into the Potters Bar rail crash. [123472]

Mr. McNulty

The Health and Safety Commission and the Secretary of State for Transport will need to consider the implications of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Investigation Board report of 29 May 2003, the response of the rail industry to the recommendations and the continuing British Transport Police investigation before deciding whether the issues raised by the Potters Bar derailment would benefit from investigation by a public inquiry.

Harry Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the procedures for determining(a) the cause of and (b) responsibility for the Potters Bar crash; and if he will make a statement. [123657]

Mr. McNulty

The Health and Safety Commission, under section 14(2)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, required the Health and Safety Executive to undertake an investigation into the Potters Bar derailment under the supervision of an investigation board that included members independent of the Health and Safety Executive. The British Transport Police are separately investigating the derailment.

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