A north-east MP suggested yesterday that prosecutions could still be launched over the Piper Alpha disaster.
Frank Doran, Labour MP for Aberdeen North, made the comment at the end of a Westminster debate he sponsored to mark the 25th anniversary of the tragedy.
He stopped short of calling for prosecutions, but highlighted recent inquiries into the Hillsborough disaster and other issues, and said it could be considered.
“It’s one of the key things missing in all of this case. Despite all of the evidence in the Cullen report and everywhere else, there was no prosecution,” he said.
“At this stage I’m not calling for prosecution but we’re living in a time when many historical cases have been looked at in retrospect, and things are happening like Hillsborough and cases in Northern Ireland.
“I think it is worth considering again looking at the case of the Piper Alpha. What holds me back is that it may be very difficult for a lot of people that were involved – survivors and families.”
Fellow north-east MP Sir Malcolm Bruce, Liberal Democrat member for Gordon, said North Sea companies must view safety as vital for their reputations.
Speaking in the debate, he said: “Whoever hears of (Piper Alpha operators) Occidental in this part of the world now?
“Indeed, after the Macondo and Texas disasters, one more disaster would be the end of BP. Had Total not got on top of the Elgin (gas leak), it would have been the end of Total.”
Dame Anne Begg, Labour MP for Aberdeen South, said: “The 25th anniversary of tragic events such as Piper Alpha serves to remind us all of how high the human cost can be in making sure that the oil and gas on which we all depend keeps flowing.”
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