As a PPS, my MP for South Ribble felt unable to sign the EDM, but he did pass my letter to MoD. This is MoD's replyto me, signed by the Rt Hon Adam Ingram MP:
Quote - "We have been entirely open and honest about this tragic accident. You may recall that following the publication of the House of Lords Chinook Select Committee report, Geoff Hoon made a detailed statement on the crash on 22 July 2002 explaining why the Government had not been able to support the conclusions of the Select Committee (Official Report columns 689-698 refer). The same afternoon Lord Bach made a simi;lar statement in the House of Lords (Official Report columns 11-17 refer. There was insufficient time for a debate before the summer recess, but Lord Jauncey of Tulichettle, Chairman of the Select Committee, was eventually able to present the Committee's report to the Lords on 5 November 2002 and a fairly lengthy debate ensued (Official Report columns 635-705 refer).
You may be interested to know that according to the Manual of Flight Safety AP3207, which was in force at the time of the accident, "only in cases in which there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever should deceased aircrew be found negligent". In the years since this accident, we have examined all the technical, legal and airmanship issues raised by those oppsed to the negligence finding but have found nothing that undermines thart finding. The two senior Reviewing Officers remain convinced that the required standard of proof was met and the Government retains every confidence in their decision" - end of Quote.
I have replied to my MP pointing (among other things) out that the phrase 'absolutely no doubt whatsoever' is indeed the key issue, and that there remains a huge and growing groundswell of highly knowledgeable opinion that disagrees with the Government, MoD and the 2 Reviewing Officers in their assertion that the 'standard of proof was met'. There's only one 'standard' -the need to show 'absolute no doubt' - and as claimed by all those from the BoI President to the Select Committee, and the many inbetween, there is much unequivocal doubt.
As I've said before on this thread, my own gut feeling is that it's probable that the guys screwed up. But that is subjective irrelevance - and as a twice BoI President and staffer of several, there is IMHO quite insufficent evidence to meet the criteria for negligence as required by AP3207.
I guess there'll have to be a change of Def Minister, PM, and possibly Government before a reversal can be expected? Nonetheless, keep at them!