Gas Safety In Spanish Holiday Resorts

EDM number 1556 in 1993-94, proposed by Nigel Griffiths on 19/07/1994.

That this House notes with concern that holidaymakers are continuing to die from carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty gas appliance in Spanish holiday resorts; criticises the Spanish authorities for failing to carry out proper gas safety inspections because the gas supply companies are responsible for issuing safety certificates; notes that Tony Martin from Lancashire and Vincent and Patricia Tansey from Dublin died in March and April, respectively, at the Parque Santiago 3 apartment complex in Playa de Las Americas; notes with concern that having carried out safety inspections in 1991, 1992 and 1993, tour operators continue to use this and other complexes despite finding them unsafe; urges holidaymakers to boycott Spanish holiday complexes until the European Commission conducts an independent investigation into their safety; regrets the Minister's callous indifference in his parliamentary reply on 13th July; condemns Senor Lino Alfonsin for running such a death-trap and refusing gas safety expert Roy Drury entry; condemns the Spanish police for being deliberately vague about the cause of the deaths and for not following proper procedures during their investigations; criticises the Spanish medical authorities for carrying out incomplete tests on Mrs Tansey; criticises the Irish Embassy in Madrid for failing to secure a proper investigation to be carried out; calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to demand an immediate enquiry at European Union level into safety standards at Spanish holiday resorts; and congratulates Mrs Molly Maher and Consumer Safety International for continuing to highlight these cases and for campaigning to improve safety standards for holidaymakers and others.

This motion has been signed by a total of 46 MPs.