My MP wrote to me enclosing the reply he received from the Armed Forces Minister:. .. ."MINISTRY OF DEFENCE. .MAIN BUILDING WHITEHALL LONDON SW1A 2HB. .Telephone 020 7218 6666 (Direct Dialling). .020 7218 9000 (Switchboard) . .. .D/Min(AF)/Al 1445/02 & 1 372/021Y. .. .Thank you for your letters of 7 March to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State enclosing one from your constituent about the findings of the recently published House of Lords Select Committee report on the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident. I am replying as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Minister of State for the Armed Forces.. .. .This was indeed a most tragic accident, and as the original investigating Board of Inquiry (BOl) found, and all the various reviews since have confirmed, the circumstances of the crash were complex. The determination of Gross Negligence by the BOl Reviewing Officers was founded on airmanship and duty of care issues, allied to weather, serviceability and technical factors. The Air Marshals’ professional determination that the high standard of proof required to sustain a Gross Negligence finding, could be and had be met, remains central to this case.. .. .The issues arising from their Lordships’ report quite properly require the most careful and detailed consideration. We are, as the Prime Minister indicated to the House on 6 February 2002 (Official Report, column 856) studying the report and will give a full and proper response in due course. It would be inappropriate to make any further comment until then.. .. .The Rt Hon Adam Ingram JP MP"