To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what were the numbers of fatal accidents on oil platforms and other installations in the North sea in each year since 1978;(2) how many workers on North sea oil and gas installations were killed and seriously injured, respectively, in each year since 1978;(3) how many serious accidents, excluding fatal accidents, occurred on North sea oil and gas installations in each year since 1978.

The number of fatalities and serious accidents—injuries to persons—on or near to offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf reported to my Department from 1978 to 1989 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the complement of full-time inspectors for North sea safety duties in his Department in each year since 1978; and what was the level of vacancies;(2) how many professional inspectors are employed by his Department on North sea oil and gas installation inspections; and what was the equivalent figure in each year since 1978;(3) how many full-time field inspectors are now engaged in offshore installations; and what was the equivalent figure in each year since 1978.

The number of full-time professional inspectors employed in my Department's safety directorate, together with the complement and the number of vacancies is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many installations there are in the British section of the North sea; and what was the equivalent figure for each year since 1978.

Information on the number of fixed platforms on the United Kingdom continental shelf and on mobile drilling activity—rig years—is shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total spent on the North sea safety inspectorate of his Department in each year since 1978 at constant prices.

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many inspectors are currently directly employed by each of the certifying authorities licensed by him to inspect North sea oil and gas installations.

There are six certifying authorities appointed to carry out surveys and assessments of offshore installations in order to certify that they are fit for their intended purpose. They currently employ some 475 technical staff on this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many of the prosecutions mounted against operations of North sea oil and gas installations arose from accidents and how many arose from regular inspections;(2) if he will list the operators of North sea oil and gas installations who have been prosecuted in each year since 1978;(3) how many prosecutions of operators of North sea oil and gas installations have been made in each year since 1978; and how many were successful.

Decisions on prosecutions are taken by the appropriate legal authorities, taking into account reports submitted by my Department.Details of companies convicted for breaches of health and safety legislation are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many prohibitions or improvement notices under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act have been issued since 1978 to operators of North sea oil and gas installations.

Thirteen prohibition and improvement notices under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act have been served on offshore operators since 1978. My inspectors have additional powers under the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 to prohibit an activity or the use of equipment or to require improvements to be made. These powers have been designed specifically for offshore operations and are used extensively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when his Department first considered the installation of sub-sea emergency shut-off valves on oil and gas pipelines in the North sea.

Following development of sub-sea valve technology in the early 1980s, amendments were introduced in 1986 to the Institute of Petroleum pipeline safety code on the advice of a committee on which my pipelines inspectorate was represented. These amendments recommended that risk assessment should be undertaken for new large inventory trunk and interfield pipelines to assess the need for sub-sea valves. In August 1988 my director of safety wrote to all pipeline operators asking them to re-evaluate immediately the need for sub-sea isolation systems on all existing pipelines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of serious and fatal accidents on North sea oil and gas installations were investigated by his Department in each year since 1978.

It is the policy of my safety directorate to investigate all fatal accidents on offshore installations. The percentage of serious accidents investigated since 1978 can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.