Piracy and Robbery at Sea (Hansard, 14 April 1999)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State., Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)
My Lords, we urge all states to take action to counter the menace of piracy and armed robbery at sea and bring the perpetrators to justice. Last year we supported action by the United. Nations General Assembly and the International Maritime Organisation; with EU colleagues we raised the matter at the Regional Forum of the Association of South East Asian Nations; and in countries where attacks affected British shipping we took bilateral action with the states concerned. International pressure is having an effect, but piracy remains a grave threat to crews, security of navigation and international trade.

§ Lord Clinton-Davis
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that most helpful Answer, which shows that the Government are giving the matter high priority. Is she aware that there were no fewer than 467 incidents of violence to seafarers last year alone, resulting in 67 deaths and involving at least six British registered, British crewed or British flagged vessels? Is it not unfortunate that, in the light of this serious situation, our own shipowners have so far declined to allow for increased crewing in vulnerable areas of this kind in order to permit proper watch-keeping, and have also declined to introduce closed circuit television, which might well help to mitigate this tremendously difficult problem?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, it is because the Government are aware of the statistics which my noble friend details to the House that we took the action last year which I described. This year we shall have to follow up that action in the United Nations. The recently issued M notice, which was a matter of consultation with both the seafarers' union, NUMAST, and the Chamber of Shipping, makes clear in paragraph 11 that: Shipowners should ensure that security watches are enhanced if their vessel is in waters or at anchor off ports where attacks occur".
767 I believe that the advice to shipowners is very clear indeed. On other issues that are covered, a number of specific points of advice are given. It is also made clear that a constant radio watch should be maintained with shore or naval authorities in areas of danger.

§ Lord Moynihan
My Lords, as a birthday present to the noble Baroness, perhaps I may ask her a simple and helpful question, to which I am sure I shall receive a characteristically clear and unequivocal reply. Will the Government undertake to study carefully the co-operation between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, which together have succeeded in reducing the attacks in one of the world's worst affected areas, the Malacca Straits, from 32 in 1991 to none in 1997 as a result of co-ordinated patrols which it was agreed should begin there in 1992? When they have studied that excellent co-operation, will they encourage other high-risk areas to emulate it?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, that was a very nice birthday present, although perhaps not quite as nice as some of the other presents I have received today. It happens to be a question on which I have been briefed.
The Government believe that regional co-operation is the most effective way to tackle the problem. We have encouraged this through European Union participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum. Co-operation between regional states is, in the view of the Government, an enormously important part of dealing with this difficulty.
Difficulties in co-ordination mean that attacks are sometimes not investigated and that criminals go free. The example which the noble Lord cites of the Malacca Straits is indeed one which the Government would like to see emulated in other parts of the world.

§ Baroness Williams of Crosby
My Lords, perhaps we may add our congratulations, though perhaps in less elegant terms, to the noble Baroness. Can she say whether consideration has been given by Interpol to the use of alarm systems to enable a more precise identification of those ships which have been attacked and of the location of pirate groups which attack ships, particularly in the Malacca Straits but also elsewhere?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her good wishes. A number of issues have been tackled in the International Maritime Organisation discussions. As I indicated a moment ago, the Government are encouraging regional co-operation. The noble Baronesses raises a specific point about Interpol, on which I shall have to write to her. The Government, through the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, last year sent out some 17,000 copies of the advice to seafarers in this country which goes into great detail on ways in which seafarers and shipowners can prepare for attacks which 768 may be made on them. I advise all seafarers and shipowners to look carefully at the M notice which was issued.

§ Viscount Waverley
My Lords, what are the Government doing to assist the International Maritime Organisation in its activities? What success has the Metropolitan Police had in previous missions to target countries?

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
My Lords, we helped to finance the ongoing series of missions and seminars of the International Maritime Organisation for the affected regions. These focused on the need for some states to put in place effective plans to investigate the attacks which occur and to prosecute those involved. In addition, we have funded the participation of two international crime experts from Scotland Yard who have been able to give practical advice and who are helping to develop piracy response plans in parts of the world most severely affected by these difficulties.