§ 48. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many prosecutions have taken place during the past twelve months arising out of the overloading of oil tankers; what was the total amount paid in fines; and what was the value of the extra cargo carried.
§ Mr. HayFour. Total fines were £1,175. The estimated increased profit earned by two of the ships, which arrived in this country overloaded, was £3,233. In the other two instances the excess cargo was removed before the ships were allowed to sail.
§ Mr. AwberyDoes not the Minister see how absurd it is that we should allow the captain of a ship to make a profit out of breaking the law? If a man brings in excisable goods and refuses to declare them, the goods are taken and he is fined. In this case, however, the captain is brought before the court and fined for the offence but still makes a profit out of breaking the law.
§ Mr. HayThere is no doubt that these fines, which were laid down in 1932, are somewhat out of date, but I am advised that there are great difficulties in legislating to increase the levels of fines which can be inflicted by magistrates' courts, principally because to do it in this type of case would have repercussions on a number of other fines. We hope to review the whole of this matter in the light of the International Conference on the Load Line Convention fairly soon.
§ Mr. C. R. HobsonIs the Minister aware that this is becoming a systematic fraud against the Excise of this country in many cases, apart altogether from the profit involved? Is he aware that something should be done about this, because this kind of action is becoming notorious?
§ Mr. HayThe figures do not bear out that construction. Less than 0.5 per cent. of the number of ships which we examine and inspect are found to be overloaded. 398 Between 1953 and 1956 we inspected about 48,000 ships and only 180 of them were found to be overloaded.