§ Mr. Geoffrey Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of recent collisions in the English Channel, he will seek to secure an international standard of competence for masters of ships and for navigating officers and ensure its regular enforcement.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantFollowing the "Torrey Canyon" disaster a joint Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation/International Labour Office study on the practicability of applying international standards of competency and certification to officers and crews concluded that introduction of such standards would give rise to considerable practical difficulties.
However, the Organisations circulated a comprehensive International Maritime Training Guide containing detailed 589W recommendations to Governments on the training and qualifications of navigating officers and crew. The Guide is being kept up to date and should lead to an all-round improvement in training standards. Her Majesty's Government will continue to play a major part in this work and in further action, both national and international, to improve standards of competency among seafarers.