HL Deb 16 February 1971 vol 315 cc480-1
THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to ensure that foreign oil tankers in British waters improve their navigational techniques to avoid a recurrence of colliding with a lighthouse in open sea.]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)

My Lords, improvement of navigational techniques depends on training, equipment, and regulation. Following the "Torrey Canyon" affair the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation proposed amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention, including proposals for carriage of specified navigational equipment. So far not enough countries have accepted these amendments for them to be brought into effect. When they come into operation, the United Kingdom has powers to require that all foreign ships calling at her ports shall comply with them. A comprehensive Maritime Training Guide has been produced by a Joint Committee on Training of the IMCO and the I.L.O. and has been circulated to all member countries. Such training should reduce the risk of human error.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for his reply, and remembering what IMCO are doing, would be agree that if the standard of competence of the steerage of foreign tankers is such that they collide with lighthouses in the open sea, as was done a fortnight ago, there seems an urgent need to control that standard of competence if our busy coastlines are to be protected?

LORD DRUNIALBYN

My Lords, perhaps I could say two things on that. The first is that this is really a matter for international co-operation. The second is that in point of fact the ship in question was carrying a Decca navigation receiver, which is one of the pieces of equipment that was recommended in the amendments that I suggested, and the collisison was due to human error.