Oil Tankers (Inert Gas Systems) (Hansard, 24 April 1980)

§ Mr. Tebbit

Inert gas systems are an important safety device which reduce the risk of explosions on oil tankers.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974, which will come into force on 25 May, requires large new oil tankers to be fitted with an inert gas system (IGS).

The Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation convened a conference in February 1978 which adopted a Protocol to SOLAS 1974 embodying more extensive IGS requirements.

We have decided additionally to give effect to these requirements for United Kingdom registered tankers, although the Protocol will not yet be in force, on the timetable developed at the 1978 Conference. This will require large existing tankers to be equipped with a IGS by June 1981, and medium sized and smaller existing tankers to be so equipped by June 1983.

I			EXPORTS OF SCOTCH AND NORTHERN IRISH WHISKY
A)			Million proof gallons	Percentage of total exports
			Bottled	Bulk blended	Bulk malt	Bottled	Bulk blended	Bulk malt
1978	…	…	74.0	21.8	9.6	70	21	9
1979	…	…	72.3	19.1	9.4	72	19	9
B)				£ million fob		Percentage of total exports
			Bottled	Bulk blended	Bulk malt	Bottled	Bulk blended	Bulk malt
1978	…	…	580.0	53.4	27.4	88	8	4
1979	…	…	622.4	51.6	330	88	7	5

II
EXPORTS OF SCOTCH AND NORTHERN IRISH WHISKY TO SPECIFIED MARKETS
A)
						Million proof gallons
		Bottled	Bulk blended	Bulk malt
		1978	1979	1978	1979	1978	1979
United States of America	…	22.0	20.9	14.2	12.3	^*	^*
France	…	4.6	5.0	1.0	1.2	^*	^*
Japan	…	4.0	4.6	^*	0.1	6.3	6.4
Belgium-Luxembourg	…	2.5	2.4	0.3	0.4	^*	^*
Federal Republic of Germany	…	2.1	2.1	1.3	1.2	0.1	0.1
South Africa	…	1.8	1.9	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.1
Spain	…	1.8	1.2	^*	^*	1.0	0.8
Argentina	…	0.2	0.4	—	—	0.8	0.6
Australia	…	0.3	0.2	2.8	1.8	^*	^*
Brazil	…	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.6	0.5
New Zealand	…	0.1	0.1	0.4	0.5	^*	^*
^* less than 50,000 proof gallons

216W

Comparable requirements will apply to foreign tankers when in United Kingdom ports.