HC Deb 12 November 1975 vol 899 cc816-8W
Mr. Watt

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the average survey fee on those boats already dealt with under the Fishing Vessels (Survey and Inspection) Regulations 1975.

Mr. Clinton Davis

For the 17 vessels which became subject to statutory survey on 1st October 1975 the fees payable are:

10 vessels at £410
3 vessels at £445
1 vessel at £510
1 vessel at £600
2 vessels at £1, 270
giving an average fee of £534.

Mr. McNamara

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish seriatim in the Official Report the recommendations of the Holland Mark Committee on Trawler Safety indicating when the recommendations were implemented and by what means, and indicating what progress, if any, has been taken on implementing the outstanding recommendations.

Mr. Clinton Davis

The 83 main recommendations are summarised on pages 1–7 of the Holland-Martin Report (Cmnd. 4114). Forty-five required legislative or other action by Government; the remaining 38 were for implementation by industrial agreement. Although I understand that in the case of the latter most, if not all, have long since been implemented following industry discussions, I do not have details of specific agreements that

Heading Recommendation Numbers
(i) Accidents to men and casualties to vessels 1–3
(ii) Services for trawlers at sea 4–6
(iii) Radio communications, search and rescue 7–15
(iv) The design and construction of trawlers 16–25
(v) The Trawler's equipment 26–39
(vi) Research and development 40–45
(vii) Conditions of work and fatigue 46–54
(viii) Health and fitness, employment of young persons 55–58
(ix) Conditions of employment 59–61
(x) Training 62–71
(xi) Management and industrial relations 72–83

Progress on implementation by reference to these groups has been as follows:

  1. (i) Merchant shipping notices were issued in August 1969 and June 1972 concerning bridge manning and watchkeeping; and more generally, the Department is consulting the industry on the extent to which all such notices can be converted into statutory rules. The format of the Department's annual statistical return of casualties to vessels and accidents to men was changed in 1972. The development of Regulations under Section 19 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 regarding the reporting of accidents is still under consideration.
  2. (ii) The support ship "Miranda" continues to provide the meteorological, medical and technical assistance to trawlers in Icelandic waters which has been made available during the winter months over the past five years.
  3. (iii) The Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessel) Rules 1974 came into operation on 1st January 1975. Satisfactory position reporting schemes are being operated on a voluntary basis by owners in all the main fishing ports covering distant water trawlers.
  4. (iv) The Fishing Vessels (Safety Provisions) Rules 1975, which apply to vessels of 40 feet registered length and above, were introduced earlier this year and began to come into operation on 1st May 1975.
  5. (v) Life rafts on trawlers operating in Arctic waters now carry sets of protective packs for use as survival clothing. Protective clothing is issued free of charge by owners. Research and development work continues into the production of suitable deck working garments incorporating a flotation device. Inflatable boats have taken the place of rigid lifeboats and these are now marked for identification purposes. Powers to lay down statutory requirements on the design, guarding and testing of working equipment on trawlers were taken in the Merchant Shipping Act 1970. The need for specific Regulations will be considered when the recommended Code of Safety of fishermen on trawlers, published in 1969, is reviewed next year.
  6. (vi) Research has been conducted through the Industrial Development Unit of the White Fish Authority and other bodies, and is continuing. On icing problems, a departmental

have been made in particular ports, but I am requesting the industry to provide a summary. The recommendaions are grouped by chapter headings of the Report, as follows:

commitee has advised that vessels continue to steer clear of such conditions. Model testing tanks are being used in connection with the evaluation of new designs for trawlers.

(vii) Work was carried out by the Medical Research Council on fatigue amongst deep sea trawler crews, but consultations with industry on minimum rest periods have not yet been concluded. Proposals on new certificate structure were put to the industry in April 1975 and replies are now being considered.

(viii) Occupational health services for trawlermen have been extended to all major ports and suitable arrangements have been made for medical examinations.

(ix) Management has acted on these recommendations. In particular, registration schemes have been set up in all major ports.

(x) The Department and industry have accepted these recommendations on training. Certificates of competence are covered by the proposals in (vii) above.

(xi) Recommendations 72 to 82 have been implemented by industrial agreements. The National Trawler Health and Safety Committee mentioned in Recommendation 83 has not been established, but the need will be further considered when existing port arrangements are reviewed, as part of the pending review of occupational safety referred to in (v) above.

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