Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the comparative safety record of Super Puma helicopter models (a) EC225LP and (b) AS332L2 operated commercially in the (i) North Sea and (ii) internationally over each of the last ten years.

Following the fatal accident of a H225 in Norway in April 2016, these two helicopter types, popularly known as Super Pumas, were restricted from being used commercially by UK and Norwegian operators.

The Civil Aviation Authority has remained in close contact with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway; UK and Norwegian operators; and with the manufacturer, Airbus Helicopters which has developed the modifications and enhanced safety measures for the Super Puma Model.

The restrictions have been lifted after receiving extensive information from the Norwegian accident investigators and being satisfied with the subsequent changes introduced by Airbus Helicopters through detailed assessment and analysis.

A plan of checks, modifications and inspections needs to be undertaken before any flights take place. It will also be for operators and their customers to decide whether they wish to re-introduce the helicopters to service. In order to resume operations individual operators will need to supply safety cases to ensure that they have all the necessary measures (procedures, processes, tooling and training) in place for a return to service. To date no UK operators have done so.