§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the budget of the Marine Safety Agency for the last two years; and what are the estimated budgets for this year and the next two years. [19300]
Mr. MorrisThe gross budgets for the Marine Safety Agency for the financial years 1993–94 to 1997–98 are as follows:
£ million 1993–94 128.5 1994–95 31.7 1995–96 30.8 1996–97 30.0 1997–98 30.0 1 The Marine Safety Agency was not launched until 1 April 1994. The figure given for 1993–94 relates to the part of the Department of Transport which preceded the agency.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what controls the Marine Safety Agency has over ships sailing in British waters which do not dock in British ports. [19301]
§ Mr. NorrisInternational law limits the right of coastal states to interfere with foreign-flagged ships exercising the right of innocent passage through territorial waters or transit passage through straits used in international navigation. Only if the ship has been involved in an accident or poses a threat of pollution or threatens the peace or security of the coastal state can the coastal state intervene.
The position of foreign-flagged ships anchored or operating in territorial waters, and not on innocent or transit passage, is different, and Lord Donaldson's report, "Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas', recommended that we should extend our powers in respect of such ships to the maximum extent allowed under international law. The Department will shortly issue a consultation paper on how this can be achieved. The consultation paper will take account of changes stemming from the recent adoption of an EC directive on port state control which provides for the inspection and, if appropriate, detention of foreign-flagged vessels anchored near a port or offshore installation.