§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list in theOfficial Report each occasion on which a cross-Channel ferry has applied to his Department for amendment to its passenger safety certificate in the last seven months; and on what grounds these applications were made;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report all crew specifications and crew/passenger ratios in regard to the issue of the passenger safety certificate amendments thereof.
§ Mr. David MitchellExcluding changes of ship's name, only one cross-Channel ferry passenger and safety certificate has been amended in the period; in May the lifesaving appliances on the ship in question were444W upgraded by replacing certain inflatable liferafts which were not fitted with launching devices with others launched by davit. The amendment did not relate to the crew or passenger numbers on the certificate.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what deviation from the specifications of the passenger safety certificate for a cross-Channel ferry are permitted before an application must be made for amendment to those specifications.
§ Mr. David MitchellDeviation from the regulations that contain the specifications for the construction and equipment of cross-Channel ferries is not permitted unless my Department is satisfied that the overall safety of the ships will not be thereby impaired. An application must be made for any exemption from the provisions of the regulations.