SAFETY IN THE UK OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

That this House applauds the work undertaken by offshore oil and gas workers in securing energy for UK homes and industry; believes there should be the best possible safety regime for those working in this dangerous and profitable sector; is deeply concerned that in the last reporting year there has been a 39 per cent. increase in major and significant hydrocarbon releases and a 67 per cent. increase in major injuries; is further concerned that the provisional data from the first ever Health and Safety Executive inspection of its kind has found almost 80 per cent. offshore installations inspected need to improve compliance with the Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989; is alarmed that the industry's official Workforce Involvement Group has found that less than 30 per cent. of workers feel that they have had involvement in the safety case for offshore installations; notes that in response to the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, EU Commissioners are calling for adoption of best practice of safety standards in Europe; and therefore calls on the Government to consider adopting Norwegian standards which provide far stronger standards for safety representatives, including greater worker involvement, training and enforcement powers.