To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of fatalities and serious injuries which have occurred involving the use of gangways linking offshore oil and gas installations and other vessels or structures, for each year of operations on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

Since 1 January 1980 my Department has received reports of three fatalities relating to the use of gangways. These occurred in a single incident in 1982 when the bridge connecting Piper Alpha to MSV Tharos collapsed. No serious injuries have been reported.