MULL OF KINTYRE CHINOOK HELICOPTER CRASH

Early day motion 651, tabled 20 July 2005 by Lord Bellingham (Conservative). Signed by 180 members.

That this House urges the Government to ensure that the Ministry of Defence revisits the issue of the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre on 2nd June 1994; notes that the General Assembly noted the findings of the Fatal Accident Inquiry held in Paisley, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons and the House of Lords Select Committee, all of which rejected the findings of gross negligence by the RAF Board of Inquiry against flight lieutenants Jonathan Tapper and Richard Cook, and of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee; supports the General Assembly's pastoral concern for all the families affected by the accident; recognises that the Royal Air Force's rules on fatal accidents have subsequently been changed, such that the Chinook pilots would not have been blamed after their deaths; and calls on the Government to overturn the verdict of gross negligence ascribed to the deceased pilots in the 11th year following the accident.

Signatures by party: Conservative 78, Liberal Democrat 43, Labour 41, DUP 9, Scottish National Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.