§ Mr. Knox Cunninghamasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether his attention has been drawn to the report, issued as a result of the formal investigation under Section 466 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, into the loss of the trawler "Northern Crown," which discloses that the skipper of the trawler had appeared at an inquiry held in October, 1956, by a reinsurance association and, as a result, had been prohibited from sailing as a skipper for eighteen months, or a mate for twelve months, and to the comments of the court which conducted the formal investigation that it seemed unfortunate that any one in the position of the skipper should have to stand trial twice for the same offence, and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI understand that it is the practice of the fishing insurance associations to hold private inquiries into all casualties to fishing vessels which are insured with them. The purpose of such inquiries is to decide whether a man shall continue to be employed in the fishing vessels concerned. They have no power, nor do they purport, to cancel or suspend a skipper's certificate. This can be done only by a Court of Formal Investigation set up under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.