§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress is being made towards the implementation of international conventions on shipowners' liability.
§ Mr. TebbitUnited Kingdom instruments of ratification were today deposited in respect of the 1976 London convention on limitation of liability for maritime claims and the 1974 Athens convention relating to the carriage of passengers and their luggage by sea. Technical protocols to the Athens convention, the 1969 convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage and the 1971 convention on the establishment of an international fund for compensation for oil pollution damage, which express liability in terms of the special drawing right of the International Monetary Fund, were also ratified today.
These conventions and protocols represent important steps forward in improving international maritime law on shipowners' liability. I hope that our ratifications will encourage other States to follow suit in the near future.