§ Sir Julian Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what safeguards he intends to introduce to 373W ensure that commercial pressures on ports to reduce costs will not reduce standards within the marine pilotage service;
(2) if he has any plans to change the current arrangements for marine pilotage so as to improve safety of navigation.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Government intend to introduce proposals for legislation as soon as possible which will transfer responsibility for pilotage to the harbour authorities. The legislation will require authorities to provide the pilotage services which are necessary to secure safety of navigation, and there is no reason to believe that the authorities will act irresponsibly in meeting this requirement.
§ Sir Julian Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now list those harbour authorities to which he intends to transfer pilotage responsibilities.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe terms of the new legislation will determine which harbour authorities will become responsible for pilotage. A list of the relevant authorities will be made available when the legislative proposals are published.
§ Sir Julian Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list information available to him as to which harbour authorities have experience in running pilotage services.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerOf the 45 pilotage authorities which have responsibility for pilotage, 29 are harbour authorities; those harbour authorities which are active in this capacity are as listed:
- Aberdeen Harbour Board
- Associated British Ports
- Berwick Harbour Commissioners
- Bristol Port Authority
- Coleraine Harbour Commissioners
- Dundee Port Authority
- Fenland District Council
- Fraserburgh Harbour Commissioners
- Grampian Regional Council
- Inverness Harbour Trust
- Irvine Harbour Company
- King's Lynn Conservancy Board
- Lancaster Port Commissioners
- Lerwick Harbour Trust
- Littlehampton Harbour Board
- Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners
- Manchester Ship Canal Company
- Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
- Montrose Harbour Trust
- Orkney Islands Council
- Peterhead Harbour Trust
- Shetland Islands Council
- Wick Harbour Trust
In addition, local harbour authorities are invariably among the interests represented in the membership of other pilotage authorities or their pilotage committees. In a few cases, staff are shared by a pilotage authority and a harbour authority.
§ Sir Julian Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of cost savings arising from economies in administration and operation as a result of the proposed integration of pilotage with other port services.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerI refer to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend's earlier question on 25 July at column515.