From Mike Bomford, Exeter 382173, March 17, 2008

Dates are set for Devon County Council's Community Roadshow vehicle to stop in key locations along the Jurassic coastline, to enable more people to give their contributions to the MSC Napoli local inquiry.

On Tuesday 25 March, the vehicle will stop in Sidmouth, at the Esplanade Coach Bays, between 9am and 12pm. Local County Councillor Stuart Hughes will be on board the vehicle to offer his assistance.

The same day, between 1pm and 4pm, the vehicle will be in Branscombe, at the Village Hall Car Park. Local County Councillor Margaret Rogers will also be attending.

On Thursday 27^th March, the vehicle will stop in Seaton, at the Fisherman's Gap, between 9am and 12pm.

Later that day, between 1pm and 4pm, the vehicle will stop at Beer, in the Central Car Park.

The Roadshow Vehicle is just one way that people can contribute to the inquiry. Inquiry Response Packs are available from libraries, local government offices, town and parish councils, and local County Councillors for anyone wishing to make a submission in writing. Packs will also shortly be available from schools.

Inquiry Response Packs can be requested from the MSC Napoli Inquiry Coordinating Office, by telephoning 01392 380101.

Alternatively people can make submissions using the dedicated page on the County Council's website, www.devon.gov.uk

The purpose of the inquiry is to learn lessons to inform local and national contingency plans to minimise the potential for an incident similar to the MSC Napoli reoccurring, and for authorities to be better prepared to minimise any impact of future incidents.

The first stage of the local inquiry - the evidence gathering - began this month and will run throughout the spring. Local authorities, Government departments and agencies, businesses and landowners, communities, their elected representatives, environmental and conservation bodies, the general public and any interested party are all invited to contribute their views.

The second stage follows later in the year when the Council will appoint an independent Chairman and Committee of Inquiry to examine the evidence. Witnesses may be invited to recount or expand upon their written submissions at subsequent hearings in public.

Specifically the inquiry will consider

• To what degree the environmental sensitivity of the coastline should be a factor in determining places of refuge for shipping in emergencies
• Whether the UK coastline, marine and estuarine environment is adequately protected under existing legislation
• Whether international shipping conventions are rigorous enough and fully supported internationally
• Whether the statutory powers in respect of salvage of goods are sufficiently clear and robust and the relative responsibilities of agencies sufficiently well-defined and understood to prevent public disorder.

It will take into account:

• The impact of the incident on the local economy, environment and well being of local communities
• The effectiveness of the various agencies involved in responding to the incident, their areas of responsibility, their inter-relationship and relationship with local communities, and identify any constraints such as resources, communications, command and control systems and training.

The Leader of Devon County Council, Cllr Brian Greenslade, said:

"We want to give everyone affected by the incident the opportunity to be heard and to give their views about what has been done well, and about what could be done better.

"This is to be a positive, constructive process to look in detail at what events led up to the incident, what happened during it, and what has happened after the incident, to learn any lessons that better prepare our contingency plans for the future.

"Incidents in recent months just go to show that events like the Napoli can happen anytime, and in a county with two beautiful coastlines it's right that we should learn any lessons."

Councillor Margaret Rogers, the County Council's Executive Member for Environment and local Branscombe resident, said:

"I urge people to share their experiences of the impact that the MSC Napoli incident has had on them, their community the local economy and the environment. We need to learn and pass on the lessons to be learned from the last year's dramatic and often damaging incident."

Local County Councillor for Sidmouth, Stuart Hughes, said:

"I hope that people interested, with evidence, will come along to these events to express their views."