THE UK: The British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, yesterday expressed "regret" after it emerged that an aide to the former Transport Secretary, Mr Stephen Byers, tried to establish the political leanings of members of the Paddington rail crash survivors' group.
Mr Blair's statement of concern about the email inquiries was accompanied by apologies to the Paddington Survivors' Group from Mr Byers himself, and from the Department of Transport.
All acknowledged that the delving was inappropriate and should not have happened.
Mr Byers's successor, Mr Alistair Darling, distanced himself from the incident, saying he "strongly" disapproved of the emails, which were sent to, among others, the Labour Party.
The special adviser responsible for the emails, Mr Dan Corry, was believed to be in Japan watching the World Cup. He left the department after Mr Byers's resignation last week.
Mrs Pam Warren, the former chairwoman of the Paddington Survivors' Group, who was badly burnt in the 1999 disaster and had to wear a surgical mask for several months to protect scar tissue, described it as "a very nasty and spiteful thing to do" and demanded an apology from Mr Blair.
The shadow transport secretary, Ms Theresa May, accused the government of trying to "smear" the group.
The London Independent yesterday reported that electronic inquiries were circulated within the department, and went to Labour Party headquarters. Sources told the newspaper that, while the memos simply requested information, they were widely interpreted by recipients as an attempt to "dig the dirt" or "rake up some muck".
Mrs Warren (35), a financial consultant, last month claimed that Mr Byers misled MPs when he told them he had not made the decision to place Railtrack into administration until October 5th last year. Supported by two other survivors of the Paddington disaster - which claimed 31 lives - she said the Transport Secretary had indicated to them a month previously that the company was doomed.
Mr Byers disputed that version of their meeting and the issue was still unresolved when Mr Byers quit last week.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Byers said: "As this email was sent during my period as Secretary of State and by one of my special advisers, I want to apologise to Pam Warren and other members of the Paddington Survivors' Group.
"This email should never have been sent.
"Indeed, had I been aware of it I would have stopped it. I have always had the greatest respect for Pam Warren and the Paddington Survivors' Group and for the motives behind their campaign to improve safety on the railway network."
A spokesman for the Prime Minister echoed the Transport Department's regret.
The No 10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister shares Alistair Darling's view that this should not have happened. It is wrong that it did happen and he shares in the regret that it happened. This is something that took place within the department and the Prime Minister had no knowledge of it." - (PA)