To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what advice the Health and Safety Executive has given about fire-fighting training in relation to oil wells.

Before 1 April 1991, the executive was responsible only for health and safety at onshore oil and gas drilling operations. Since that date, the executive has also taken on regulatory responsibility for health and safety of offshore oil and gas installations.

No specific advice regarding training for fighting oil well fires has been given. It is the responsibility of operators of oil and gas operations to ensure that the work force are given the appropriate level of training to enable them to use safely and effectively the fire-fighting equipment provided.

Does the Minister undertake to write me a detailed letter about the advice that the Health and Safety Executive is giving to the British Army medical team working out of Ahmadi hospital in Kuwait and to the 700 Royal Engineers who are working in appalling conditions of hydrogen sulphide and of photochemical smog where, without being alarmist, there is a real danger of carcinogenic results?

I fully understand the nature of the hon. Gentleman's question. From the Dispatch Box, I should normally be only too delighted to undertake to write him the detailed letter than he invites. In this circumstance, I should, before I gave that undertaking, have to establish that it is for the Health and Safety Executive to be involved in the matters that the hon. Gentleman has raised. I undertake to look at that most carefully and to establish whether it is the responsibility of the Executive and of my Department, or whether the responsibility that the hon. Gentleman has raised lies elsewhere, in which case I should advise him of that matter.

Why does the Health and Safety Executive have to advise oil platform operators of its intent to visit? Why should not it be allowed merely to conduct a random spot check, unannounced, as it would do on land? Surely that would be better for the offshore industry.

My hon. Friend raises an important and interesting point. This is a matter such as we shall examine when the Health and Safety Executive develops its new responsibilities for the offshore oil industry. I will take up the very point that my hon. Friend has made as we develop the new regulations and as we identify the best way in which we can guarante the same level of health and safety offshore as we have come to expect onshore.