MP questions Minister on Buncefield Inquiry
7th January 2008
Mike Penning asks the Government when the Buncefield inquiry will be completed and who is paying for it?
Hemel MP Mike Penning tackled Work and Pensions Minister, James Plaskitt, over the length of time taken by the Buncefield inquiry yesterday.
Mike asked:
“The Health and Safety Executive inquiry has gone on for nearly two years. Will the Minister inform the House when it is likely to conclude?”
He also raised the question of who was paying for the inquiry:
“Will the Minister… say whether it is true that the oil companies are paying for it, not the British taxpayer? If they are, there would seem to be a conflict of interest, considering that they were responsible for the explosion.”
In reply the Minister told Mike that: “…the decision to investigate the causes of the explosion was made through a major incident investigation board.”
He further added that a decision on prosecutions will be made by the HSE and the Environment Agency, not the investigation board and they cannot make any decisions until the investigation board has finished its work.
He concluded: “We expect the investigation to be concluded shortly.”
Speaking afterwards, Mike said: “How can people expect to have confidence in an inquiry in which the HSE could well be partly liable, yet the HSE are conducting the inquiry and making the decisions on whether prosecutions will result and the oil companies – who have caused so much havoc and disruption to local residents and businesses – are paying for the whole process?”
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): On 11 December 2005, the Buncefield explosion destroyed a large area in my community. The Health and Safety Executive inquiry has gone on for nearly two years. Will the Minister inform the House when it is likely to conclude and say whether it is true that the oil companies are paying for it, not the British taxpayer? If they are, there would seem to be a conflict of interest, considering that they were responsible for the explosion.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. James Plaskitt): I am aware that the hon. Gentleman and many of his constituents take a close interest in the matter. He and I have already discussed it in debates in the House. As he knows, the decision to investigate the causes of the explosion was made through a major incident investigation board headed by Lord Newton, and we believe that that is the quickest way of finding out exactly what happened.
As I think the hon. Gentleman will understand in view of the complexity of the issues involved, the investigation is still in progress. At this point, the Health and Safety Executive cannot say when a decision will be made on prosecutions. Such a decision is for the HSE and the Environment Agency and not for the investigating board. Until the investigation is completed we cannot say more about it, but it is important for it to continue. As the hon. Gentleman knows, interim reports have been issued and a good deal of information is already available to him and to his constituents. We expect the investigation to be concluded shortly.
