HL Deb 26 July 1985 vol 466 cc1535-7

Merchant Shipping (Grain) Regulations 1985

Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) (Amendment) Regulations 1985

Merchant Shipping (Fire Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations 1985

Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) (Ships Built Before 25th May 1980) Regulations 1985

Lord Brabazon of Tara rose to move, That the five draft regulations laid before the House be approved. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move that the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) (Amendment) Regulations 1985, laid before the House on 5th July, be approved. With the leave of the House, I should like also to move the other four merchant shipping regulation orders standing in my name on the Order Paper.

These regulations will implement, in part, the first set of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 1974), which was adopted in 1981. For ease of reference, I shall refer to them as "the amendments". Various sets of regulations have already been made to apply other parts of the amendments to United Kingdom ships and to non-United Kingdom ships while the latter are within the United Kingdom or our territorial waters. The five sets of regulations to be approved will complete all the regulations necessary to implement the amendments.

The 1978 Protocol to the 1974 Convention required that no more favourable treatment in meeting the requirements of the convention—and that includes amendments to it—be given to ships of non-convention countries. It is in this context that these regulations extend to ships of all other countries while they are within the United Kingdom or our territorial waters.

The amendments were laid by Command on 5th October 1982. Their purpose is to improve the safety of ships and of those who sail in them. Overall, they provide for improvements in passenger and cargo ship construction; steering gear systems for tankers; radiotelephony and telegraphy and radar systems; inert gas systems; fire protection, detection and extinction; and for the carriage of grain.

I trust that your Lordships will find this brief explanation satisfactory. I shall of course be able to deal in more detail with each regulation separately if any of your Lordships wishes me so to do. I beg to move.

Moved, That the draft regulations laid before the House on 18th June be approved. [27th Report from the Joint Committee.];

That the draft regulations laid before the House on 18th June be approved. [27th Report from the Joint Committee.];

That the draft regulations laid before the House on 5th July be approved. [28th Report from the Joint Committee.];

That the draft regulations laid before the House on 5th July be approved. [28th Report from the Joint Committee.];

That the draft regulations laid before the House on 5th July be approved. [28th Report from the Joint Committee.]—(Lord Brabazon of Tara.)

Lord Underhill

My Lords, any orders which seek to implement international conventions, and particularly those which deal with the safety of life at sea, deserve our serious consideration. I noted that the noble Lord referred to discussions with the shipping industry. I do not know whether or not that included the appropriate trade unions but I am informed that the National Union of Seamen has considered these orders and found them eminently satisfactory, and therefore the Opposition welcome them.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord.

On Question, Motions agreed to.

House adjourned at twenty-two minutes past four o'clock.