Clause 6 - Investigations
Railways and Transport Safety Bill
3:30 pm
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative)
I hear what the Under-Secretary says, and that is helpful as far as it goes. However, regulation 15 of the 1996 regulations specifically deals with the circumstances in which the chief inspector may reopen an investigation:
''if . . . evidence has been disclosed which is in his opinion both new and important; or . . . if for any other reason there is in his opinion
ground for suspecting that the reputation of any person has been unfairly and adversely affected.''
Clause 6 has been drawn very loosely—I use that word advisedly. We may seek to revisit it at a later stage, but we have used this opportunity to have a very good explanatory and probing debate. A number of questions remain to be answered. It is welcome that the clause goes further than equivalent provisions in maritime and aviation legislation, but it does not go far enough.
I have referred to the Secretary of State's comments. He said that the Bill
''gives a fair amount of latitude to the chief inspector as to what he investigates.''—[Official Report, 28 January 2003; Vol. 398, c. 771.]
I would go further. The Bill does not just give a fair amount of latitude. Clause 6 is too wide, too loosely drafted and deserves to be revisited.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.