§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what accident figures to seamen are provided by the shipping industry to the Government; how frequently they are made available; and if he will publish the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. OnslowThe British Shipping Federation Ltd. receives reports from member companies of all personal accident injuries to seamen on ships in their ownership. Summary statements are presented at six-monthly intervals to the Accident Prevention Committee of the National Maritime Board and to the Department. The adequacy of these statistics and the question of publication will be considered as part of the forthcoming review of the Report of the Steering Committee on the safety of merchant seamen and of the Safety Code published in 1970.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents there have been to British seamen on British ships for each of the years from 1960.
§ Mr. OnslowReturns in respect of personal accident injuries on ships in the ownership of members of the British Shipping Federation Ltd. show that in the six months ended 30th September 1973 there were 3,039 such accident injuries reported in respect of men on duty 97W and 528 in respect of men off duty. Comparable figures for preceding six months' periods as far back as they can be taken were:
Six months ending On duly Off duty 30th September 1970 3,904 734 31st March 1971 3,650 767 30th September 1971 3,027 640 30th March 1972 3,344 661 30th September 1972 2,985 430 31st March 1973 3,123 563 The procedure takes account of every injury reported by a seaman whether on
Year Death from accidents on board, other than as a result of casualties to vessels Death due to casualties to vessels Total of deaths Numbers of British Merchant seamen (excluding non-European seamen) Numbers of naval ratings (to the nearest hundred) 1961 … … … 48 99 147 146,769 73,400 1962 … … … 67 34 101 136,923 72,200 1963 … … … 55 8 63 126,333 72,900 1964 … … … 44 28 72 123,607 74,500 1965 … … … 49 17 66 120,630 75,000 1966 … … … 54 68 122 113,867 74,000 1967 … … … 33 45 78 108,987 73,000 1968 … … … 32 9 41 100,357 71,500 1969 … … … 37 13 50 98,685 67,600 1970 … … … 45 32 77 99,649 64,300 1971 … … … 25 14 39 96,990 61,300 1972 … … … 20 72 92 89,641 61,100
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many seamen died due to drowning or injury sustained on leaving or boarding British ships via gangways for each of the years since 1960.
§ Mr. OnslowThe number of seamen who died from drowning or injury sustained when boarding United Kingdom registered ships by gangway or ladder was:
1961 3 1962 3 1963 2 1964 11 1965 7 1966 7 1967 7 1968 5 1969 13 1970 18 1971 7 1972 8 Information of the number of deaths of seamen leaving United Kingdom registered ships cannot be made available except at disproportionate cost.
98Wor off duty, regardless of the severity of the injury or the period of incapacity of the man concerned.
§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many British seamen have suffered fatal accidents in the course of their employment for each of the years since 1960; and how many British seamen and naval ratings there were for each of those years.
§ Mr. OnslowThe information, which excludes fishermen, is as follows: