SENIOR MPs have questioned why the superliner Queen Mary 2 was allowed to set sail in spite of concerns over fire safety.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency staff found panels in the £400m liner's 900 stateroom bathrooms failed fire safety tests.

A Westminster safety watchdog has asked how the agency, based in Southampton, passed the 150,000-tonne ship seaworthy in the first place.

Transport minister David Jamieson said: "The agency has now started a further investigation into the products used in the bathroom units and its original testing and certification."

It is just the latest in a sea of troubles to wash over the vast liner. Death, delay, illness and passenger complaints have all plagued the QM2 in its short life.

Gwyneth Dunwoody, chairman of the House of Common's Select Committee on Transport, queried why the ship was still allowed out to sea while safety for its 2,620 passengers was under the microscope.

"I think it is very strange. I don't regard it as very satisfactory that these investigations are being completed while the ship is at sea."

The ship's owners Cunard have responded by fitting extra smoke detectors, increasing the number of crew fire patrols and installing sprinklers in the bathrooms. There was no requirement to replace the offending panels, which are in wet areas in the shower and below a sink.

A spokesman for the agency said the ship was allowed to sail because it was safe.

A Cunard spokesman said: "The situation is that the ship was properly certificated and then this was subsequently discovered."