Mike Penning condemns oil companies over Buncefield

Mike Penning has condemned the oil companies for putting pressure on the council to give permission to reopen the Buncefield Oil Depot before the HSE has published its report.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Commons yesterday Hemel MP, Mike Penning, called for the Secretary of State for Transport to give a statement on why a report on the Buncefield explosion has still not been made public. He told MPs:

”The local authority is under huge pressure from oil companies such as BP to allow the terminal to reopen before we know the inquiry’s conclusions, which is of grave concern to my constituents. We have done without the terminal for two years; surely the oil companies could wait a little longer for the conclusions before putting pressure on local authorities.

After the debate, Mike said:

“The oil companies are putting profits before the safety and wellbeing of my constituents. They cannot be allowed to get away with re-opening the site before compensation has been settled and before the results of the HSE Inquiry are known.

“We don’t know yet whether prosecutions are going to be brought or what additional safety measures would need to be in place.

“It amazes me that the oil companies have the gall to pressurize the local Council in this way – less than two years after the explosion caused so much devastation and turmoil for the people of Hemel.”