HC Deb 05 February 1992 vol 203 cc167-8W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those qualifications required by port and sea-going general purpose staff employed as crew members of a catamaran.

Mr. McLoughlin

No qualifications are required for port staff engaged in the operation of catamarans. The qualifications required by the operating crew of a sea-going catamaran carrying more than 12 passengers are deck and engineer officer certificates of competency and qualified category 1, 2 or 3 seamen. Other general purpose staff are classified as "adult seafarers", in addition to attending an approved basic sea survival course and periods of sea service they also undertake in-house company training on vessel familiarisation and emergency procedures. The appropriate number of persons practised in the handling and operation of liferafts must be carried.