The Ministry sees that Parliamentary Commissioner believes it is justified to doubt whether the Ministry's efforts to inform about the compensation has been adequate for persons resident abroad. The Ministry is on this basis are asked again to consider whether it should be sent information to all persons in the relevant period has been issued bell diving licenses must in Norway. The Ministry sees further the Parliamentary Commissioner's statement to call for review is closely related to whether there is new information in regard to the number of divers who have dived on the Norwegian continental shelf can be assumed to be higher than the Lossius Commission added reason in its report NOU 2003:5 pioneer divers in the North Sea. It is assumed that there are updated address lists. Moreover, the ministry asked to consider whether there is reason for the King in Council to extend the time for business as the Council determines applications for payments for compensation.

The Ministry recognizes that the Parliamentary Commissioner consider it as a possible solution to write to those who we know have applied for and received bell diving certificates. The Ministry shows the connection to the earlier letter in which we said that this directory is not synonymous with the number of divers who have operated on the Norwegian continental shelf.

The Ministry has, however, on the basis of Parliamentary Commissioner's last letter obtained further details from us in this regard, as to how this repository is designed. The agency said that the database does not contain address information for the individual diver. It is only recorded the names of over 2500 people, date of birth, certificate number, date of issue of certificate etc. PETROLEUMSTYLSYNET has also a manual file with an overview of applications from the divers who searched for bell diving licenses must based on experience. This was an arrangement that lasted until about 1980. On the form that was used is the address of the applicant. The Petroleumstylsynet believes that these generally are without value 30 years after they were in use. The Ministry to share this assessment. The Ministry considers this background such a solution unlikely to reach any foreign fighters who are not informed about the scheme. We can moreover disclose that the North Sea Alliance (NSDA) has previously received the lists from the Petroleumstylsynet's archive with the overview of all divers with a diving bell certificates and certificates surface (over 4000 persons). NSDA is the way, in a letter of 5 December 2008 to the Petroleum Safety Authority also noted the following: "We have to now only been given a list of several thousand names and nationality. From the very restrictive assumptions inherent in such a list has been resource intensive and, from experience, so far, proved virtually impossible to track more than a few foreign divers.

The Parliamentary Commissioner set further question whether there is new information in regard, the number of divers who have dived on the Norwegian continental shelf can be assumed to be higher than the Lossius Commission added reason in its report NOU 2003:5 pioneer divers in the North Sea. The Ministry indicates in this context to NOU 2003:5, section 2.3.3. which the Commission describes its efforts to acquire a broad knowledge of the first pioneer divers' health situation and the working environment in the North Sea in pioneer times. The Commission had the aim to get in touch with all the pioneer divers and stated in the report that they believed to have done it by having obtained the names from the pioneer divers and even through the registry which today is managed by the Petroleumstylsynet. After that the Ministry is aware Lossius Commission was also aware that the NSDA was in disagreement with the number of pioneer divers that the Commission came forward with.  The Ministry can not see that in the complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner is shown to the sources disclosed that after the commission presented its report which indicate a higher number of pioneer divers.

As for other government programs, it is an important goal that most of those affected by the scheme will be made familiar with it, without that it may be to guarantee that all pioneer divers of foreign origin are familiar with the compensation which is established in Norway . The Ministry will, however, in addition to the above point out that there is no reason to believe that this is a particularly large number. The Ministry include the NSDA at diverse incidents over several years, has informed the Ministry about the work that is carried by them to detect divers abroad since 1998. NSDA has among other things stated that the alliance has traveled to Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and Thailand to detect divers. This work has not resulted in very many new applications for compensation. The Ministry has also informed HSE English authorities on the scheme on several occasions. These state that they are not aware that there would exist a large number of injured British divers who had dived on the Norwegian shelf.

Otherwise, note that the information about the scheme is still in Norway portal and on Labor and Inclusion website.

Ultimately, the ministry asked to consider whether there is reason that the King in Council extend the time for business as the Council determines applications for payments for compensation. The Ministry indicates in this context, the terms of the arrangement jf Innst. S. nr. 137 (2003-2004) section 6:

• The scheme comes into force on 1 July 2004. Applications must be received by 1 July 2006, however, that an application for possible also can be treated later, if there are special circumstances and limit the translation is not intentional. The scheme will be announced on the entry into force of the appropriate media, so that all current divers have the opportunity to search.
  

Although the deadline was passed  two and a half years ago, the tribunal are still at work even as the ongoing research at the Haukeland hospital which must await the tribunal before the applications can be finally processed. The Ministry has assumed that the tribunal will also need to consider to handle any incoming requests after the deadline date if there are special circumstances and limit the translation is not intentional. This is confirmed by the commissions leader. The Ministry may on this, not now see that there is no need to request an extension of the application period when, in reality, already is so that a possible need for a deadline extension will be meet by the above procedure.

Sincerely,