To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Lord Advocate has to initiate prosecution proceedings against the Occidental Oil Company as a result of the Piper Alpha disaster.

None. The decision taken by my noble and learned Friend's predecessor that there would be no criminal proceedings in relation to the Piper Alpha disaster was publicly intimated in July 1991 and in consequence, as a matter of law, there cannot now be a prosecution at the instance of the Crown in respect of this matter.