HC Deb 04 July 1986 vol 100 cc1306-7

Lords amendment: No. 28, in page 9, line 31, at end insert any of the Channel Islands or

Mr. Mates

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

Mr. Mikardo

It is clearly right that the Channel Islands should be included in the Bill, but why has the Isle of Man not been added?

Mr. Prescott

We have arrived at the last amendment, which proposes to add the Channel Islands to the areas where the Bill will apply.

I was not prepared to vote for the previous amendment that we discussed, although the Minister assured me that he would write to me about the difficult problem that I presented to him. It seems that British seamen could also be affected by amendment No. 28. The house has a resonsibility to look after the citizens of this country and I do not believe that the Minister can give me a satisfactory answer to the questions that I asked him.

Amendment No. 28 is also in conflict with international law. The law of this country can apply only to our ships and citizens in British areas. The Bill proposes — uniquely, I think; I should he interested to hear whether the Minister knows of any other such case— to cover areas outside our jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction in international waters was to have been dealt with by the law of the sea conference, but opposition by the Americans and by our Government prevented a satisfactory solution.

I shall hope to use the Minister's letter to me to advise NUS members, many more of whom now serve on foreign flag ships, how to deal with salvage operations. I hope that the Minister will confirm that he will write to me. We shall let the Bill go on its way, on the understanding that the Department will look at the problem and give us some advice.

Mr. Freeman

I confirm that I understand the point that has been put with great force by the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott). I shall write to him.

The hon Member for Bow and Poplar (Mr. Mikardo) asked why the Isle of Man was excluded from the Bill. The Isle of Man Government have advised us that the permissive extension clause—clause 10—would not be appropriate in their case, because responsibility for making orders in respect of wrecks of ships and aircraft on the seabed of the territorial waters of the island is vested in the Isle of Man Harbour Board under the Wreck and Salvage Act 1979 of the Tynwald.

We are advised that if any military wrecks are discovered within the territorial waters of the Isle of Man the Government would no doubt favourably consider a designation order under Manx legislation in respect of that site. I hope that that satisfies the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar.

Question put and agreed to.