Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has had any communication with the International Maritime Organisation secretariat concerning possible breaches of(a) the international maritime dangerous goods code and (b) the 1974 international convention for the safety of life at sea in regard to the known cargo inventory of the Herald of Free Enterprise when it sank at Zeebrugge.
§ Mr. David MitchellNo. It is not a requirement under either the code or the convention for breaches of regulations to be reported to the International Maritime Organisation's secretariat.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the exact cargo inventory carried on the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry when it sank at Zeebrugge in March 1987.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe Department has a copy of the manifest for the last voyage of the Herald of Free Enterprise which indentifies all the goods-carrying vehicles on board and details the contents of their loads. None of the goods disclosed on the manifest were of a type prohibited from carriage on passenger vessels.