Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Ships (Hansard, 13 July 1992)

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the lifting equipment recently removed from RMAS Goosander was last subjected to a safety test; and how frequently it has undergone such safety checks in the past.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
No lifting equipment has been removed recently from RMAS Goosander. All RMAS vessels, including salvage and mooring craft, are bound by the Health and Safety Act, etc. Act 1974 and the Docks Regulations 1988.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the accidents reported or recorded on board RMAS Goosander while it was stationed at Greenock.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
During 1991, the last year for which complete statistics are available, RMAS Goosander was based at Rosyth and Greenock. During that period, two reportable accidents resulting in minor injuries occurred. There has been one fatal accident in 1992.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the accidents reported or recorded on board RMAS Pochard whilst stationed at Greenock.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
During 1991, the last year for which complete statistics are available, there were two reportable accidents on board RMAS Pochard resulting in minor injuries.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the reasons RMAS Pochard was taken out of service at Greenock and RMAS Goosander deployed in its place.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
In 1991, the RMAS fleet of seven salvage and mooring vessels was reduced to four. RMAS Pochard, not being in such good material condition as her sister ship RMAS Goosander, was placed in reserve.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual rate of accidents on(a) RMAS Pochard, (b) RMAS Goosander and (c) the average for RMAS vessels.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
In 1991, the last year for which complete statistics are available, there were 94 reportable accidents for all 412 RMAS vessels and 11 shore bases. This includes the two reportable accidents for RMAS Goosander and the two for RMAS Pochard.

§ Mr. Salmond
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often lifting equipment used on board RMAS vessels is required to undergo safety checks; and what steps he takes to ensure that such requirements are complied with.
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§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Statutory safety checks are undertaken in accordance with Docks Regulations 1988. All vessels are regularly inspected to ensure that lifting equipment meets these regulations.